Emails reveal campus reaction to Fresno State lecturer’s Charlie Kirk comments
After Fresno State put a lecturer on a paid leave due to comments about the assassination of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk, university president Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval received emails that included demands the lecturer be fired and threats of boycotts, but also support for the First Amendment and academic freedom.
“There is no better time than right now to stand up for the First Amendment rights of Americans,” said one email message, sent through the president’s office online contact form. “As you know, this country is already sliding into fascism, especially where freedom of expression is concerned. Suspending an instructor for expressing her personal beliefs goes against the free speech policy that is outlined on your own webpage(s).”
Barri Brennan, the Fresno State communications lecturer, was placed on leave shortly after making comments about Kirk to a student prior to the start of her class on Sept. 10, the day Kirk was shot and killed on a college campus in Utah. Video of that interaction was later posted to social media sites, and brought to the attention of university officials.
Brennan, according to the recording , said to the student, “You want to know what I think? It’s too bad he’s not dead. Gonna put my political views right out there. And that’s exactly what I thought. He’s just shot? I was like, he’s not dead? I don’t even know who he is. Just a description of him. Don’t care.”
Another commenter, through the university president’s Fresno State email, said: “I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the recent online comments made by Barri Breanne (sic) which have garnered over 250,000 views and caused significant distress within the community. The nature of these remarks is deeply disturbing and does not reflect the values we expect from faculty at Fresno State.
“While placing Breanne (sic) on administrative leave may be a preliminary step, it is insufficient given the gravity of the situation. I strongly urge the university to take decisive action by terminating her employment to uphold Fresno State’s commitment to integrity, respect, and accountability.”
The Bee obtained email, text messages and letters to Jiménez-Sandoval through a public records request. The names and email addresses of those who sent comments were redacted, and the majority of emails urged the president to terminate the lecturer or were more generally against Brennan.
Some were short and to the point: “I am appalled that Barri Brennan is on your faculty. Her callous indifference to political assassination is horrid regardless of political affiliation,” wrote a commenter, through the president’s office online contact form. “If she isn’t terminated, I hope your funding is lost.”
A section from a lengthy email from a Brennan supporter said, “Capitulating to an audience of aspiring fascists who espouse racist, misogynist, homophobic views and call it patriotism is never a good idea. It’s a particularly BAD idea, especially given the threats to the personal freedom of everyone who disagrees with this particular group of people. History has shown that those who burn books, threaten free speech, detain dissenters and arrest ideological opponents are NEVER on the right side.
“I urge you to reinstate Barri Brennan immediately.”
Brennan, who is under contract with the university through May 31, 2027, remains on paid leave. She is listed as the instructor in two spring semester classes in Fundamentals of Public Communication, but she told The Fresno Bee in a recent interview that she did not yet know if she would be back on campus, due to the investigation.
Brennen and some other educators across the nation who were critical of Kirk or made comments about his assassination have been fired, suspended or otherwise punished.
The American Association of University Professors and other groups including The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) have publicly supported faculty.
“The AAUP notes with great alarm the rash of recent administrative actions to discipline faculty, staff and student speed in the aftermath of the murder of Charlie Kirk,” it said, in a statement released in September. “We write to remind leaders of colleges and universities of their fundamental duty to protect academic freedom and the absolute necessity to ensure that the freedom to discuss topics of public import without constraint is not curtailed under political pressure.
“As established in the 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure, faculty are entitled to hearings under long-standing principles before they may be subject to discipline. At a moment when higher education is threatened by forces that seek to destroy it and its role in a democratic society, the anticipatory obedience shown by this rush to judgment must be avoided.”
The university has provided no update to its investigation, but did acknowledge it is reviewing whether the secret recording of Brennan in class violated student conduct rules or state laws.