A professor from the University of Toronto has been placed on leave following a controversial online comment regarding the fatal shooting of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. Ruth Marshall, an associate professor of religious studies and political science, made the comment on her private X account, stating that “shooting is honestly too good for so many of you fascist c–ts.” The tweet was posted shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump announced Kirk’s death on social media.
The statement by Marshall received widespread criticism, including from Ontario’s Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence, and Security, Nolan Quinn, who emphasized the importance of universities promoting critical thought and respectful debate. The University of Toronto took immediate action upon learning of the professor’s social media post, placing Marshall on leave and launching an investigation.
A university spokesperson confirmed that the faculty member is currently off-campus, and the matter is under review with no further comments provided. Efforts to reach Marshall for a response have been unsuccessful, as her faculty pages displayed an “access denied” message.
Legal experts suggest that Marshall could face termination based on university policies, particularly those related to social media use and potential reputational harm to the institution. Samantha Lucifora, a senior partner at Monkhouse Law Employment Lawyers, highlighted that employers have the authority to terminate employees for reasons not deemed discriminatory or retaliatory.
Lucifora advised employees to safeguard themselves on social media by maintaining privacy settings, adhering to workplace social media policies, and refraining from using explicit language or derogatory remarks. She noted a trend of increased disciplinary actions or terminations resulting from social media posts, urging caution and respect in online interactions.