APSU Professor Fired For Charlie Kirk Comments Reinstated

Image Credit: LinkedIn & Austin Peay State University

The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –

A professor at Austin Peay State University (APSU) who was terminated for degrading remarks about the assassination of Charlie Kirk has been reinstated to his position after the school failed to follow the proper procedure for firing tenured employees.

Associate professor of acting Darren Micheal was initially fired from APSU on Friday, Sept. 12 for a social media post the university stated was “insensitive, disrespectful, and interpreted by many as propagating justification for unlawful death.”

Micheal was then moved to suspension pending termination when the school administration announced it had not followed due process in immediately firing the teacher.

At the time, a university spokesperson confirmed that though Michael’s status had been reverted to suspension, APSU was fully intending to follow through with the termination. But on Dec. 30, APSU President Mike Licari confirmed Michael was returning to his position as a tenured professor.

“APSU did not follow the required tenure termination process in the matter, and I deeply regret and apologize for the impact this has had on Professor Michael and on our campus community. I am committed to ensuring that due process and fairness are upheld in all future actions.” Licari wrote in an email. 

“This has been a difficult period for our campus. I want to acknowledge that and thank you for your continued dedication to the university and our students. I am committed to helping our community move forward with integrity, respect, and a renewed focus on our shared mission of serving our students with excellence,” he concluded.

The school did not mention any additional consequences or actions regarding the social media post Michael reposted which the school originally felt “caused significant reputational damage to the university” and drew the attention of Senator Marsha Blackburn.

About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.