The University of Florida rescinded a retired professor’s emeritus status on Friday over a controversial Facebook post made on the evening of Charlie Kirk’s death. The post had sparked significant backlash on social media.
The university announced on social media that a retired faculty member, who issued a post causing concern, had lost their emeritus status. However, in a follow-up, the university did not confirm to the Florida Phoenix the identity of the professor involved.
The Gainesville Sun later reported that the professor in question is Jeffrey Harrison, a retired UF law professor. On his public Facebook profile, Harrison posted on the night of Kirk’s death:
> “There is a lot of commentary about Charlie Kirk. It’s not that complicated. He was an evil person spouting all kinds of hateful messages. I did not want him to die. I reserve that wish for Trump. But let’s face it, even members of the Gestapo and guards at the concentration camps had children. That does not make them heroes, nor does it make Charlie Kirk someone to be admired.”
At the time the Florida Phoenix began writing their story, the post was still publicly visible. However, before publication and after a reporter reached out to Harrison for an interview, his Facebook profile disappeared.
Conservative activist Scott Presler, who has 2.3 million followers on X (formerly Twitter), called on Thursday for the university to sever all ties with the professor and remove any current duties he might have at UF.
Also on Thursday, Harrison posted a statement in response to the backlash:
> “I am getting a lot of hateful commentary about a recent post in which I did not want Charlie Kirk to die but it would be fine with me if Trump did. The latter sentiment I have seen on Facebook scores of times. This avalanche of hate came after someone reposted my original post on X. This leads me to ask if X has gone over, even more than Facebook, to Trumpers?”
This subsequent post is also no longer publicly accessible.
According to University of Florida regulations, emeritus status is conferred in recognition of meritorious service and includes continued campus courtesies such as parking privileges, use of library and recreational facilities, admission to athletic and cultural events, receipt of faculty publications, participation in contracts and grants, and attendance at academic convocations. Following the incident, Harrison’s name was removed from the Levin College of Law’s list of emeritus faculty.
Harrison previously wrote a guest column in The Gainesville Sun in 2022 criticizing UF administrators for what he described as their deference to Governor Ron DeSantis.
This rescinding of emeritus status comes amid warnings from Florida Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas and State University System Chancellor Ray Rodrigues, who have promised accountability for educators celebrating or excusing campus violence.
The University of Miami, Florida Atlantic University, and now the University of Florida have all been under scrutiny for professors’ social media posts following Kirk’s death. Several K-12 teachers have also faced investigations, as previously reported by the Florida Phoenix.
On Friday, Miami-Dade public schools confirmed to the Florida Phoenix that they have received five allegations against employees regarding inappropriate conduct on social media or in the classroom related to Charlie Kirk’s death. These allegations are currently under investigation, according to the district.
— Jay Waagmeester, Florida Phoenix
https://flaglerlive.com/uf-professor-firing/