A former employee of Ball State University in Indiana has been awarded $225,000 to settle a lawsuit claiming her dismissal over a Facebook post violated her free speech rights. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) announced the settlement on Tuesday, filed on behalf of Suzanne Swierc against university president Geoffrey Mearns.
Swierc, who served as director of health promotion and advocacy, was fired in September 2025 after posting about the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. Ball State cited the post as causing 'significant disruption' on campus, but the ACLU argued that Swierc was speaking as a private citizen on a matter of public concern, protected under the First Amendment.
In her post, Swierc described Kirk's killing as a 'tragedy' but also a 'reflection of the violence, fear, and hatred he sowed', adding that those who admired him could not be her friends. Although her Facebook privacy settings restricted public access, a screenshot of her comments was widely shared, leading to a backlash of calls and emails to the university, including threats to withhold donations and withdraw students.
Mearns defended the firing, stating that the reaction threatened enrolment and fundraising, and that the settlement cost was less than fighting the lawsuit. Swierc is among several workers fired for social media comments about Kirk who have won legal settlements; earlier this month, a Florida biologist received $485,000, and in January, a Tennessee professor was reinstated with a $500,000 settlement.
