MSU-Northern professor who mocked Charlie Kirk’s death to return in spring
Montana State University–Northern is allowing a professor who mocked Charlie Kirk’s death to return to the classroom in the spring semester.
The professor had been placed on leave after posting celebratory comments about Kirk’s shooting and death on Facebook.
Montana State University–Northern (MSU-Northern) has reinstated a professor who called Charlie Kirk a “misogynistic, racist, homophobic, xenophobic a--hole” after he was shot.
Samantha Balemba-Brownlee, an associate professor of criminal justice, told The Missoulian on Wednesday that she will return to campus for the spring semester, with no changes in her previous course schedule. She called her relationship with university officials “contentious.”
On Sept. 10, the day Kirk was shot and died soon after, Samantha Balemba-Brownlee posted to Facebook: “Holy sh--! Someone shot Charlie Kirk in the neck! Not condoning political violence, but maybe people are sick of the garbage he spews, perhaps?”
“He was a misogynistic, racist, homophobic, xenophobic a--hole,” Balemba-Brownlee continued in a second post. “He spread hate. He harmed society. He cut down women at every turn. No, I do not mourn the man.”
After Kirk died, the professor posted: “Update: He died. Aw shucks. Thoughts and prayers.”
Following Balemba-Brownlee’s comments, MSU–Northern Chancellor Greg Kegel clarified that the university does not share her views in a public statement.
“MSU-Northern has placed the faculty member on leave while we evaluate the situation,” Kegel added. “As a public employee, this individual has rights and protections, and the university will follow established processes as we determine any appropriate steps to take.”
Balemba-Brownlee’s comments were initially made public by former Havre City Council member Sarah McKinney.
“I am so thankful I don’t run in your circle and we seldom cross paths,” McKinney said in a comment under the professor’s Facebook post. “I would say you need to learn the valuable lesson of ‘think it, don’t say it,’ but no. You shouldn’t even think that murdering someone for having a different opinion than you is somehow karma.”
[RELATED: FAU professor files federal lawsuit after being put on leave for defending Charlie Kirk]
Balemba-Brownlee contests McKinney’s interpretation of her comments and says she doesn’t endorse political violence.
Many university professors have faced public criticism for comments following Charlie Kirk’s death.
Corey Dolgon, a professor at Stonehill College in Easton, Massachusetts, posted to Facebook on Sept. 11: “TBH, MY first instinct was ‘how dare we’ speak of empathy in the midst of a genocide.”
Dolgon had previously tweeted in 2020, “I only feel that way about the Republican deaths. In fact all Trump supporter deaths are acceptable if not encouraged.”
Two professors at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City were placed on administrative leave and subsequently retired after making comments about Kirk’s death.
One of the professors said, “This isn’t a tragedy. It’s a victory.”
Campus Reform contacted MSU–Northern and Professor Balemba-Brownlee for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
