Days after being reinstated to his position, a theater professor at a Tennessee university will receive a $500,000 payout as part of a settlement following his firing in September due to comments he made on social media about conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
A lawyer for Professor Darren Michael confirmed to The Tennessean that Michael, a professor at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, will receive $500,000, as well as reimbursement for therapeutic counseling services, as part of a settlement agreement with the Clarksville university.
David King, Michael's attorney, confirmed that while the settlement closes the chapter on restoring Michael's employment, they are "exploring future options" against those who "interfered with (Michael's) First Amendment rights."
The settlement deal was first reported byWKRN.
Michael was reinstated to his position at the school on Dec. 30, 2025, three monthsafter he was originally fireddue to comments he made on social media about conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, after the school admitted to not following its termination policy.
More:Charlie Kirk social media reactions have gotten some commenters fired: What the law says
Kirk, the founder of the conservative Turning Point USA organization, was killed during an event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. Following his death, Michael shared an article on his personal social media account titled "Charlie Kirk says gun deaths are 'unfortunately' worth it to keep 2ndAmendment," which discussed controversial comments made by Kirk shortly after the Covenant School shooting.
There was no additional caption written by Michael alongside the shared post.
Two days later, U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, shared a screenshot of his post on her X account.
Blackburn's caption stated: "What do you say, Austin Peay?"
Later that day,the Clarksville university released a statementsaying that Michael had been fired for social media comments that were "insensitive, disrespectful and interpreted by many as propagating justification for unlawful death."
"Such actions do not align with Austin Peay's commitment to mutual respect and human dignity," APSU President Mike Licari said in a statement about Michael's firing. "The university deems these actions unacceptable and has terminated the faculty member."
But in October,the school walked back his termination,stating that the professor was instead suspended and that administration had begun the process of terminating Michael's tenure.
Now, the school is taking a larger step back. Licari announced in a Dec. 30 emailoriginally obtained by Clarksville Nowand later confirmed by The Tennessean, that APSU "did not follow the required tenure termination process in this matter."
"I deeply regret and apologize for the impact this has had on Professor Michael and on our campus community," Licari said, in the email. "I am committed to ensuring that due process and fairness are upheld in all future actions."
In a request for comment regarding the settlement, a spokesperson for APSU confirmed the settlement agreement, but did not comment on the terms.
Michael one of many employees fighting back after wave of Charlie-Kirk-linked firings
Michael is one of many people across Tennessee and the nation seeking First Amendment vindication after commenting on Kirk's legacy in the wake of his death. His case is part of a broader backlash, as conservative activists, influencers and politicians have mounted a largely online campaign pushing for employment consequences against individuals perceived as posting negatively about Kirk.
Notable Tennessee lawsuits on the issue include:
A 21-year MTSU faculty member, Laura Sosh-Lightsy, was serving as the Associate Dean of Student Care and Conduct when she was fired on Sept. 10 after posting on her personal Facebook page about Kirk's death. She filed a First Amendment lawsuit against the school in early November.
Moncia Meeks, a former employee of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance and state representative candidate, was fired after responding to a friend's social media posts about Kirk. She filed a First Amendment lawsuit against the state in early December.
Larry Bushart, a retired police officer and National Guardsman living in Lexington, was arrested on Sept. 22 after he posted a picture of a quote from President Donald Trump on a social media comment thread about a Kirk memorial.
He was charged with threats of mass violence and held on a $2 million bond, causing him to lose his job in medical transportation due to his incarceration, until mounting public pressure resulted in his release on Oct. 29.
He has filed a First Amendment lawsuit against Perry County, Perry County Sheriff Nick Weems and Perry County Sheriff's Investigator Jason Morrow.
The USA TODAY Network - The South region's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean:APSU professor awarded $500k after firing over Charlie Kirk comments
