After an hours-long closed discussion by the Iowa Board of Regents, it was unanimously decided to move forward with an investigation into social media posts made by university employees about Charlie Kirk and his assassination on Sept. 10.
Kirk, a conservative activist, podcaster and founder of conservative non-profit Turning Point USA, was killed at Utah Valley University, a stop on Kirk’s “The American Comeback Tour,” where he debated publicly.
A social media comment made by a financial aid advisor at Iowa State University seemingly sparked the beginning of the controversy:
“… Gun violence in this country is horrific and out of hand,” the post from the employee said. “Given Charlie’s previous comments about their ‘necessity’ to protect 2nd amendment rights though, this jackass got what was coming and I’m happy he’s rotting in hell now.”
The post is no longer available on social media, but posts featuring a screenshot of the comment have circulated on social media platforms.
The comment references a 2023 speech where Kirk said, “I think it’s worth it to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights.”
Iowa State Senator Lynn Evans, R-Aurelia, and Iowa State Representative Taylor Collins, R-Mediapolis, wrote and signed a letter to the Board of Regents, calling for the immediate termination of university employees who “celebrated his killing online.”
“Such behavior is sickening — no American’s death should be celebrated, especially by those charged with the honorable duty of educating Iowa’s youth,” they wrote in the letter.
Other universities, including Clemson University and the University of Mississippi, have already suspended or fired employees for similar comments.
ISU President Wendy Wintersteen forwarded a statement from Board of Regents President Sherry Bates to the ISU community:
“The Board of Regents is aware of social media posts made by employees and students following the violent and tragic death of Charlie Kirk. This should not be celebrated. These posts and others like them are offensive, insensitive, and in no way reflect the views of the Board of Regents or its universities. The comments are inconsistent with the Board’s values to create a civil and respectful environment at our public universities.”
A closed session followed the statement at the Regents’ meeting on Wednesday where they unanimously decided to launch an investigation into such social media posts.
The investigations must be completed within two weeks, and “place all employees subject to investigation on administrative leave or have them removed from the classroom,” Bates said at the meeting.
After investigations are completed, “immediate action” against employees found to be in violation of board policies, including termination, must be taken.
“We’ve seen some appalling things on social media in the last week, and we also understand that some appalling things are protected by the First Amendment,” Regent Robert Cramer said during the meeting. “So, the purpose of this is to delve in and to see if these — any of these — cross the threshold to where they’re so disruptive to the university that they still need discipline in an employment sense.”
