Posted on 09/24/2025 11:16:08 AM PDT by simpson96
The staff member fired by Ball State University because of a Facebook post about the murder of Charlie Kirk is suing university president Geoffrey Mearns, alleging a violation of her First Amendment rights.
Suzanne Swierc, formerly Ball State's director of health promotion and advocacy, is being represented by the Indiana American Civil Liberties Union.
In a news conference Monday on Zoom, Swierc said she felt "violated" and filed a police report after a stranger called her cell phone, recited her full name, title, and home address, adding, "Maybe I deserve what Charlie got, is what the person said."
A Ball State spokesman said, "Out of respect for the judicial process, the University does not comment on pending litigation."
Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was a high-profile conservative activist with a large following of young people. He was shot and killed at a public event in Utah.
Swierc's post at issue said, "Charlie Kirk's death is a reflection of the violence, fear, and hatred he sowed. It does not excuse his death, AND it's a sad truth."
She called the shooting a "tragedy" after starting the post by saying, "Let me be clear: if you think Charlie Kirk was a wonderful person, we can't be friends."
The lawsuit says Swierc's privacy settings allowed the post to be seen only by people who were her friends on Facebook. It also said she listed only her name in her profile, not her city, employer, or other personal information.
"I do not regret the post I made and I would not take back what I said," Swierc said Monday. "I believe, along with every other person in this country, I have First Amendment rights."
ACLU attorney Stevie Pactor said during the news conference that Swierc is not seeking to return to her job at Ball State because she "doesn't feel like Ball State is a place she can work after this." The lawsuit asks for damages and to have the firing expunged from her record.
Pactor said the court decision Ball State used to justify the firing doesn't apply because it involved a high school teacher with previous disciplinary warnings who had students as friends on Facebook.
Swierc's lawsuit says someone obtained a screenshot of her post and made a graphic with it next to her entry in Ball State University's staff directory. That graphic was distributed on social media and was submitted to the Secretary of State Todd Rokita's "Eyes on Education Portal."
Rokita eventually posted the graphic on multiple social media platforms.
The lawsuit said Swierc began receiving threatening and harassing messages from strangers at home and at work.
On Sept. 15, she was asked to meet with employee relations at Ball State. Two days later, she was given a letter from Mearns saying she was fired.
"Government employees don't give up their First Amendment rights," Pactor said.
Freedom of speech does NOT mean freedom from consequences.
Next time, a little warning please before posting a pic of such a hideous creature.
A school staff member applauded a school shooting, and is wondering why her school didn’t like it.
That face could make a train take a dirt road.
The chick with three chins is “director of health promotions”- how adorable...
I think she’s the first cousin of that 300LB “influencer” democrats were using to woo back male voters...
The government did not do anything to her. College educated and still can’t tell the difference.
Hey, if kimee jimell can get back on........
It’s not your First Amendment rights that are being questioned.
It’s your taste, Fatso.
I am expecting a wave of wrongful termination lawsuits based on 1st amendment grounds.
Gee, I wonder if she was a hard-liner on Covid?
/mega sarc
a mask wouldn’t work covering that face- she needs a pillow case
“””The chick with three chins is “director of health promotions”- how adorable...””””
Like the previous Assistant Secretary of HHS who was a fat guy who thought he was a chick. PUKE
Pretty safe to say this is the only form of violation she will ever experience. So maybe enjoy it?
Wow, just think of the size of the camera needed to take Swierc’s photo!
Freedom of speech does NOT mean freedom from consequences.
On a side note, I was almost fired way back in March of 2020 for titling an email to my team: Good source for information on the China virus.
keep in mind, at that time, our sitting president called it the china virus. But one team memver’s feelers were hurt because she was a single mom who adopted a chinese baby.
Yep, she can post to FB while in the unemployment line.
looks exactly like I thought. AWFL.
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