A former Clemson University professor is suing the school, claiming his firing over a Facebook post about the assassination of conservative icon Charlie Kirk violated his First Amendment rights.
Joshua Bregy, an assistant professor in environmental engineering, was one of several Clemson employees dismissed last month after their social media comments sparked outrage from conservatives. The group demanded accountability for professionals who appeared to be gloating over Kirk’s tragic murder.
The lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in federal court, seeks Bregy’s reinstatement, back pay, and damages. It argues that the university bowed to pressure from bullying legislators and an online mob, rather than addressing any internal disruption.
“External pressure, not internal disruption, caused Clemson to fire Bregy,” the lawsuit, obtained by the South Carolina Daily Gazette, states. It continues, “But however challenging it must have been for Clemson to confront bullying legislators or the online mob and its 280-character pitchforks, the First Amendment does not credit Clemson’s impulse to capitulate as a legitimate interest. The Constitution requires a stronger spine than that.”
This is especially ironic given that the “woke left” has spent years pushing for conservatives to be fired and censored online for speech they disagreed with.
Bregy’s post, shared shortly after the shooting, reposted someone else’s comment criticizing Kirk’s past statements on gun rights. Kirk had argued that some gun deaths were a necessary cost for Second Amendment freedoms. The former professor added his own commentary:
“I’ll never advocate for violence in any form, but it sounds to me like karma is sometimes swift and ironic. As Kirk said, play certain games, win certain prizes.”
He further questioned why conservatives weren’t equally outraged over the June 2025 assassination of Democratic Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman. While expressing superficial sympathy for Kirk’s family, Bregy refused to allow Kirk to be portrayed as a martyr, calling him “a flawed human being whose rhetoric caused notable damage.”
According to the South Carolina Daily Gazette, Bregy’s Facebook settings usually allowed only friends to see his posts. However, because the original post he shared was public, his repost was also publicly viewable, per the lawsuit. After a few hours, Bregy made the post private and then deleted it entirely the next morning at the request of university officials.
Allen Chaney, Legal Director for the American Civil Liberties Union of South Carolina, said in a statement: “The First Amendment protects the rights of public employees to speak in their personal capacity on important public topics. When it comes to free speech, Clemson isn’t allowed to cave to the whims of a political mob. Fortunately for us all, the Constitution is made of sterner stuff than that.”
Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA and a leading voice in conservative activism, was fatally shot on September 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University. The brazen act of political violence shocked the world.
In the immediate aftermath, conservatives mobilized and secured the firing or disciplining of dozens of educators across the country for posts that mocked or downplayed the assassination.
The South Carolina Daily Gazette reports that Clemson released a statement on September 12 expressing disagreement with the statements made by the professors but recognized their First Amendment rights to free speech.
However, the next day, GOP leaders in both state legislature chambers—including the lead budget writers in each—sent a letter to Clemson’s Board of Trustees calling for immediate and appropriate action.
While the letter did not specify what action should be taken, the lawsuit alleges the message was clear. The choice of signatories, combined with their authority over Clemson’s budget, conveyed this warning: fire Joshua Bregy and fellow professor Melvin Villaver, or face potential funding cuts.
An hour before an emergency board meeting on September 15, Clemson announced it had suspended Bregy and another professor from teaching duties and fired a third employee.
In his termination letter, Bregy was informed that he had engaged in “blatantly unprofessional conduct” and conduct “seriously prejudicial to the University.” The letter stated, “You did not show due restraint or respect, and you made no effort when you reposted to state that your views did not represent the views of Clemson University.”
To date, Clemson University has not publicly commented on the lawsuit.
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/10/clemson-professor-sues-university-after-being-fired-play/