A professor at the University of Tennessee will receive nearly $2 million to settle a lawsuit after officials sought to remove her after she shared social media posts condemning slain Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
The University of Tennessee System Board of Trustees approved a settlement with former assistant professor Tamar Shirinian and will now pay her $1.9 million. “My client is pleased that the parties reached a resolution,” her attorney, Robb Bigelow, wrote in an email to Knox News. “Litigation is always difficult, and we’re grateful to everyone on both sides who worked diligently to bring this matter to a close.
“We believe the resolution reflects the seriousness of the issues while allowing everyone to move forward. We wish the University nothing but success in the future,” the email read.
The university placed Shirinian on leave after Kirk’s death for calling him a “disgusting psychopath.”
The world is better off without him in it,” she said at the time. “Even those who are claiming to be sad for his wife and kids….like, his kids are better off living in a world without a disgusting psychopath like him and his wife, well, she’s a sick [expletive] for marrying him so I dont [sic] care about her feelings.”
She later apologized for her comment.
Similarly, Clemson University settled a lawsuit with an assistant professor who condemned Kirk. Under the agreement, the university will pull its decision to fire the professor and will pay them through the end of his employment term.
