ACLU Sues Clemson After Professor Fired Over Facebook Post

Former Clemson assistant professor Dr. Joshua Bregy, who taught in the Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences from January 2023 until his Sept. 15, 2025 firing, has sued Clemson University, its president and board after being terminated for resharing a Facebook post about the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. The ACLU of South Carolina filed a federal complaint Oct. 3 alleging Clemson violated Bregy’s First Amendment rights and is seeking his reinstatement, back pay, monetary damages and a correction to his personnel record. Bregy’s reshared post explicitly condemned violence but called Kirk’s views “cruel” and said “karma is sometimes swift and ironic”; the post was flagged by the Clemson College Republicans and drew pressure from conservative lawmakers who threatened to withhold university funding. The complaint alleges Clemson promised an individualized investigation but quickly fired Bregy despite no evidence his post disrupted his job, a decision faculty say sent “shockwaves” through campus. ACLU legal director Allen Chaney says public employees’ personal speech on public issues is protected, while university critics argue speech can still carry consequences, and the case highlights tensions over campus free speech and political pressure on public institutions.