UPDATE: Cumberland University Fires Several Faculty, Staff Members Over Charlie Kirk Assassination Remarks
Cumberland University in Lebanon has cancelled an upcoming campus event in October that was featuring now-fired contributor Matthew Dowd. But a professor at the university who mocked the death of Charlie Kirk is reportedly still on the payroll, although suspended.
Michael Rex, who posts on social media as Mic Rex, is a PhD Professor of English and Creative Writing. Immediately following the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Rex posted “crying about a Nazi getting shot while staying silent about the school shooting in Colorado today is peak Republican.” He went on to post later: “On Charlie Kirk: Thoughts & Prayers” “Oh, and Kharma is a beautiful bitch.”
Rex has previously posted about how he hated his parents and fantasized about killing them, but did not carry it out because he was unable to figure a way to do it without “catch”. Despite what appear to be mental issues and a potential risk to the lives of those in the university community, he has reportedly not yet been dismissed by the university.
Cumberland University offers a program that allows Wilson County high school students to take classes on campus. In other words, there are minors attending classes on campus.
Several community leaders are criticizing the University leadership for hiring and retaining Rex, including calls for protests and redirecting donations away from the university. Others raised concerns about a potential Audrey Hale (the Covenant School transgender shooter) incident on campus based upon beliefs that Rex may be suffering from some mental imbalance. At this point, the university has not addressed any of these concerns.
Some former students at Cumberland University have posted on social media that he is a “Brilliant” and “Entertaining” professor.
Rex has recently apologized for his post and expressed his regret over his words, and that he did not think about the “pain and anger” that his words would generate. He noted that his comments were not “meant to celebrate nor to foster political violence” and that he was “truly sorry.”
Nashville’s FOX 17 News asked Cumberland President Dr. Paul Stumb whether Rex would face disciplinary action following MTSU’s termination of its assistant dean over her social media comments, he confirmed that action has been taken against Rex but did not provide specific details.
“I am aware of comments that were offered on social media by a member of the Cumberland University faculty, and I am incredibly disappointed in this individual’s actions,” said President Stumb.
Stumb said he met with Rex, along with the Provost and the Dean, and that the professor has since issued both a personal and a public apology.
“This individual has broken a trust the university has worked hard to foster with our students, faculty, staff, and community at large,” Stumb said to Fox 17.
Author
