Overview
- Law professor Florence Ashley was placed on non-disciplinary leave on Sept. 14 and returned to duties the week of Sept. 22, according to a university statement to Xtra.
- Administrators cited a precautionary review after online attention to Ashley’s posts criticizing praise for Charlie Kirk following his Sept. 10 death.
- Ashley’s tweet was amplified by right-wing media figures, and the university told Ashley that groups were receiving threats tied to the attention.
- Ashley says they were not consulted in the review, contends the action harmed their professional reputation and chilled expression, and has requested an apology.
- Parallel cases in Canada include a University of Toronto professor placed on leave and Ottawa police charging a man over alleged threats linked to a staff member’s post about Kirk.