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The University of Tennessee has agreed to pay former assistant professor Tamar Shirinian $1.9 million to settle a lawsuit after she was fired over a social media post celebrating the death of Turning Point CEO and conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Under the settlement, approved by the University of Tennessee System Board of Trustees, Shirinian will not return to her teaching position.
The agreement still requires approval from Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti and Gov. Bill Lee.
“My client is pleased that the parties reached a resolution,” Shirinian’s attorney, Robb Bigelow, said.
“We believe the resolution reflects the seriousness of the issues while allowing everyone to move forward.”
Because the University of Tennessee is a publicly funded institution, any settlement it pays ultimately comes from public funds, meaning Tennessee taxpayers will bear the cost.
The dispute began in September 2025, days after Kirk was assassinated during an event at Utah Valley University.
“The world is better off without him in it,” she wrote in a Facebook post.
“Even those who are claiming to be sad for his wife and kids… [they] are better off living without a disgusting psychopath like him.”
“His wife, well she’s a sick fuck for marrying him so I don’t [sic] care about his feelings.”
Screenshots of the post quickly spread online. After a formal investigation, she was terminated from her position.
Shirinian sued the university in federal court in October 2025, alleging her dismissal violated her rights. Plowman finalized her termination in February 2026.
A federal court filing states that both sides are finalizing the settlement agreement.
