A University of Tennessee, Knoxville professor placed on administrative leave for comments about political commentator Charlie Kirk has issued a detailed response. In a letter, she apologized for the phrasing of her remarks while denying they endorsed violence and questioning the university's disciplinary consistency.
Key Takeaways
- Dr. Tamar Shirinian was suspended on September 15 pending termination proceedings for comments about Charlie Kirk.
- In a September 22 letter, Shirinian apologized for her words, calling them "ineloquent and heartless," but stated they were not a call for violence.
- She argued her comments were a condemnation of hateful rhetoric, not an endorsement of harm against an individual.
- The professor cited another UT faculty member who allegedly faced no consequences for a comment about protestors, suggesting a double standard.
- Similar actions were taken against two professors at East Tennessee State University and an employee at Middle Tennessee State University for separate comments regarding Kirk.
Professor Placed on Administrative Leave
On September 15, University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) Chancellor Donde Plowman announced that Dr. Tamar Shirinian, an assistant professor of anthropology, was placed on administrative leave. The university has initiated termination proceedings against her.
The disciplinary action followed comments Shirinian made regarding Charlie Kirk, founder of the conservative organization Turning Point USA. In her statement, Chancellor Plowman said that “no statement endorsing a campus shooting can be acceptable,” directly linking the suspension to the nature of the professor's remarks.
Broader Impact in Tennessee Higher Education
The incident at UTK is part of a wider series of actions taken by public universities in Tennessee. Two professors at East Tennessee State University were also placed on administrative leave, and an employee at Middle Tennessee State University was fired, all in connection with separate comments made about Charlie Kirk. This indicates a coordinated response from state university systems to employee speech on this matter.
Shirinian's Formal Response and Apology
In a letter dated September 22, Dr. Shirinian responded to the university's actions. She offered an apology for her comment, describing it as “ineloquent and heartless.” She explained that her words were driven by “anger and grief” and admitted they now haunt her.
Shirinian also noted that she would not have made the comments if she had known they would be “leaked into the public.” Despite the apology for her tone, she maintained that her post was “insensitive” but did not constitute an endorsement of violence.
“As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and a person who prides themselves on their humanity (though, admittedly, my comment was far from humane), I was disgusted by things Mr. Kirk said and got his followers to believe,” Shirinian wrote.
In her letter, she strongly condemned all forms of political violence, stating that it is never a solution to social problems. She clarified that while she despises Kirk's rhetoric, she does not believe he deserves to be killed for his statements.
Context and Justification for Comments
Dr. Shirinian provided extensive context for her statements, linking them to her personal background and professional concerns. As an Armenian woman and a descendant of genocide survivors, she said she objected to some of Kirk's public remarks, including one she stated “mocked” those who died in the war in Gaza.
She addressed her specific statements directly in the letter.
Explanation of Controversial Phrases
Regarding her comment that “the world is better off without him in it,” Shirinian explained her meaning: “I believe that the world is better off without messages of bigotry and hate. Such a statement is not a ‘call to action.’”
She also explained her statement that Kirk's “kids are better off living in a world without a disgusting psychopath like him.” She wrote, “I was thinking about my own child and what it means for children in America today to be growing up with so much hate speech, hateful ideas, and active endorsements for intolerance and injustice.”
Professor Watchlist Concerns
Shirinian mentioned Charlie Kirk's website, Professor Watchlist, which compiles entries from students about professors. She claimed that faculty members who appear on this list often receive death threats and have their private information leaked online, a practice known as doxing. She stated that Kirk's activities threatened her profession.
The professor acknowledged Kirk's right to free speech but detailed her own experiences following her comments, which included receiving hate mail, death threats, and having her personal information doxed.
Allegations of Inconsistent Enforcement
A significant portion of Dr. Shirinian's letter focused on what she perceives as a double standard in how the university handles faculty speech. She cited the case of another UT professor who, according to her letter, posted a video of protestors stopping traffic with the comment, “run them down.”
Shirinian noted that this professor was not disciplined for his comment. She expressed confusion about the university's decision to punish her while taking no action in the other case. “I am at a bit of a loss,” she wrote, about the discrepancy.
She also criticized UT System President Randy Boyd and other university leaders for their silence on what she termed Kirk's “bigoted” rhetoric. “The only conclusion that I can draw, if I were to be honest, is that they are either scared of him or they agree with him,” she concluded on that point.
Dr. Shirinian has stated that if she is not permitted to return to her position, she will appeal the university's decision.
