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.
