(The Center Square) – A former Middle Tennessee State University dean fired over her comments about the killing of Charlie Kirk is suing the university in federal court.
Laura Sosh-Lightsy was fired for posts she made shortly after Kirk’s Sept. 10 death, beginning with one that said, “Looks like ol’ Charlie spoke his fate into existence. Hate begets hate. Zero sympathy.”
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., shared a repost of the comment from Matthew Hurtt, director of professional services at the Leadership Institute. Within four hours of her post, Sosh-Lightsy received a phone call from Dr. Sidney McPhee, president of Middle Tennessee State, terminating her, according to the complaint.
The university used a “red-alert” banner to announce Sosh-Lightsy’s firing.
“In her two decades of service at MTSU, Plaintiff does not recall ever having seen the red-alert banner used to announce the firing of an employee,” Sosh-Lightsy’s attorneys said in the complaint. “The MTSU Defendants’ novel use of the red-alert banner to publicize Ms. SoshLightsy’s termination shows that the MTSU Defendants intended to retaliate against Plaintiff for her protected speech on a matter of public concern and because the MTSU Defendants and/or Senator Blackburn did not agree with Ms. Sosh-Lightsy’s viewpoint in her Facebook posts concerning Mr. Kirk’s murder and his prior statements about gun violence.”
Sosh-Lightsy said her dismissal violates her First Amendment rights.
“Ms. Sosh-Lightsy’s exercise of her right to free speech did not disrupt her performance of her job duties or any other MTSU operations,” the lawsuit said. “Plaintiff’s exercise of her right to free speech would not have caused any future disruption to her performance of her job duties or any other MTSU operations. 106. The MTSU Defendants took adverse actions against Ms. Sosh-Lightsy that would deter a person of ordinary firmness from continuing in speech protected by the First Amendment, including but not limited to terminating Plaintiff’s employment and making critical public statements about her that damaged her personal and professional reputation.”
Sosh-Lightsy is asking for monetary damages and attorneys fees, according to the complaint filed in the Nashville Division of U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee.
A former University of Tennessee professor suspended for her comments on Kirk’s death is suing the university, according to WVLT.
“The world is better off without him in it. Even those who are claiming to be sad for his wife and kids….like, his kids are better off living in a world without a disgusting psychopath like him and his wife, well, she’s a sick (expletive) for marrying him so I dont (sp) care about her feelings,” Dr. Tamar Shirinian posted on her personal Facebook page.
Shirinian is asking for to retain her job and receive compensation for lost wages and attorney’s fees.
