Auburn University announced on Wednesday that it was terminating multiple employees hours after an employee on campus called Charlie Kirk a "vile human" after his assassination and said, "I do not give one f*ck that he is gone."
Auburn University president Christopher Roberts said in a statement on Wednesday, "It has come to our attention that there are Auburn employees who made social media posts that were hurtful, insensitive and completely at odds with Auburn's values of respect, integrity and responsibility in violation of our Code of Conduct. We are terminating the employment of those individuals. We unequivocally condemn this conduct, which is antithetical to values we hold dear in the Auburn Creed."
"Every member of the Auburn Family has a responsibility to help foster a civil, respectful and supportive campus environment. Actions that endorse, glorify or trivialize violence undermine that responsibility, have no place at Auburn and fall short of the community of respect and integrity we work hard each day to uphold. We take that responsibility seriously," Roberts said. "As educators, we harbor an obligation to provide students with a healthy university environment, one where they can express themselves civilly and engage with multiple perspectives. Incidents that promote or condone violence are unacceptable, and individuals involved in such conduct may be subject to suspension or other personnel actions as determined by the university. Since the beginning of my presidency, I have emphasized the importance of fostering a campus where every member of our community feels welcome, valued, respected and engaged. We remain steadfast in that commitment and remain committed to fostering a campus environment that is both respectful and safe."
The statement didn't specifically name which employees were terminated.
Seth McCollough, also known as Colana Bleu, a former music teacher at Drake Middle School who was then hired by Auburn University, said Charlie Kirk should "Rest in PISS" after his assassination last week. The former teacher of Auburn's Drake Middle School, who resigned after receiving backlash from reporting by 1819 News, he made about using podcasts to reach his students and others with LGBTQ+ topics, was then hired by Auburn University in 2024. McCollough was the president of the executive board for Pride on the Plains, the flagship LGBTQ+ pride organization in Auburn, Opelika, and the surrounding communities.
U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) thanked Auburn University for their response after calling for McCollough's firing.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, who also called for his firing, said in a statement on Wednesday, "It has become clear that radical left-wing indoctrination is fueling political violence in our country."
"The real question for Alabamians is whether taxpayers should be forced to subsidize professors whose mission is not to educate, but to radicalize the next generation," he added.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email [email protected].
Don't miss out! Subscribe to our newsletter and get our top stories every day.
