University Art History Professor at Florida Atlantic University Temporarily Suspended Over Charlie Kirk Remarks
Florida Atlantic University (FAU) has placed three of its faculty members, including associate professor of art history Karen Leader, on administrative leave following a series of social media posts that have sparked controversy.
According to reports by the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Leader's social media posts shared critical comments by others about Charlie Kirk, a right-wing activist who was shot dead in Utah last week. The posts called attention to what the commentators said were Kirk's racist, anti-gay, and anti-woman statements.
However, it's important to note that the social media posts did not contain comments by Leader herself, nor did they specifically reference Kirk's murder. Leader's X account is private.
FAU President Adam Hasner announced the administrative leave in a statement, stating that the decision was due to specific processes regarding tenured faculty members. Hasner also emphasized the academic community's responsibility to promote civil discourse, conduct healthy debate, and treat one another with respect, applying this standard to all students, faculty, and staff regardless of their political leanings.
In an interview with Artnet News, Leader stated that many other people are having their reputations challenged because the Right doesn't like what they say and they want to erase it from the historical record.
Two other FAU professors, Rebel Cole (finance professor) and Kate Polak (English professor), were also placed on leave, according to CBS12 News. Cole is the Lynn Eminent Scholar Professor of Finance at FAU, where he teaches graduate-level corporate finance and financial institutions in the College of Business. He has held this position since August 2016.
The investigation into the three professors' social media activities is ongoing, and further details have not been disclosed at this time.
This incident at FAU comes at a time when universities across the country are grappling with issues of free speech and academic freedom, particularly in the context of social media and political discourse. As the investigation continues, it will be interesting to see how FAU navigates these complex issues and upholds its commitment to academic freedom and civil discourse.
Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
