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3h ago

FAU Professor Suspended Over Charlie Kirk Posts Sues University on First Amendment Grounds

The federal complaint argues the tenured finance scholar was punished for private speech.

The administration building at Florida Atlantic University on Monday, Sept. 18, 2023, in Boca Raton. A Florida Atlantic University professor who was placed on leave over social media posts he made targeting Charlie Kirk's opponents has filed a federal lawsuit against the university, saying its leaders violated his First Amendment rights. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
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Overview

  • Dr. Rebel Cole filed the suit Wednesday naming President Adam Hasner and six senior officials, seeking a jury trial, reinstatement and monetary relief.
  • Cole has been on paid leave since September and is barred from campus over posts on X responding to celebrations of Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
  • FAU’s Sept. 15 letter said his presence could disrupt university operations or jeopardize safety, and the school has not offered a substantive public response to the suit.
  • The complaint reproduces his replies, including “We are going to hunt you down... make you both unemployed and unemployable,” which he argues were protected private speech.
  • Cole alleges emotional distress, death threats and social ostracism, while two other professors suspended over related posts remain on leave without filing suit.