TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Julia Wilburn on Mar 20, 2026

University of Tennessee (UT) Chancellor Donde Plowman fired Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology Tamar Shirinian in February over a Facebook post celebrating Charlie Kirk's assassination. The action, just being reported now, cites reputational harm to the university and potential safety risks as justification for the termination. Shirinian had been suspended in October 2025 while the university pursued termination. She subsequently filed a lawsuit arguing the action amounted to viewpoint discrimination and political retaliation. In February, Shirinian expanded the suit to include top UT officials and board members in the complaint. She has requested an administrative appeal and is awaiting trial, which is scheduled for early 2027. Knox News has more on the story.