A Kansas professor says she has been placed on administrative leave after her social media posts shared in the wake of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination drew backlash.
On Sept. 10, the day Kirk was fatally shot at a Utah university, Nuchelle Chance, an assistant psychology professor at Fort Hays State University, posted on Facebook: "Me thinks the word ‘karma’ is appropriate. Sad day all around."
Chance linked to a partial quote from Kirk about the Second Amendment.
Two days later, after police identified Tyler Robinson as the shooter, she wrote: "But when we tell y’all that statistically… White American men are the most dangerous animals on the planet we’re wrong. Let’s not be hasty they say…"
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The posts circulated widely after being amplified by the account Libs of TikTok.
Suspected assassin Tyler James Robinson, left, and victim Charlie Kirk, a founder of Turning Point USA, on the right. (Gov. Spencer Cox's office; AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
In a TikTok video Tuesday, Chance said she was being "targeted" by "MAGA" and argued her "karma" comments were mischaracterized as celebrating Kirk’s death, which she said would be immoral. She defended her post about "White men," saying she was simply saying the perpetrators in these incidents of mass violence "tend to fit a certain demographic."
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Chance said her posts were "misinterpreted—intentionally and deliberately"—calling the backlash a "manufactured outrage campaign rooted in misogynoir," a term she said describes as the intersection of racism and sexism faced by Black women. She added that her use of the word "animal" was drawn from behavioral science and not meant to be degrading.
Chance also rejected claims that her personal commentary undermines her classroom role.
"I have never discussed my political views in the classroom. That would be inappropriate and unprofessional—and frankly, asinine. My role as an educator is to foster critical thinking, not to impose personal belief," she said, noting her teaching evaluations and grading practices consistently reflect fairness across demographics.
She added that her academic work is grounded in equity and humanism, not bias.
"My scholarship and teaching reflect a commitment to justice and inclusion. I welcome diverse perspectives in my classroom and remain committed to creating a space where every student feels seen, heard, and respected," Chance said.
A spokesperson for Fort Hays State University, a public college in Hays, Kansas, said a faculty member’s social media posts were under review after remarks about Charlie Kirk. (Don and Melinda Crawford/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
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She added, "I am deeply concerned that the image of Fort Hays State University is being shaped by veiled, anonymous trolls whose goal is not dialogue, but disruption. These actors do not represent our values, and their tactics—doxxing, misrepresentation, and intimidation—undermine the mission of higher education."
Fort Hays State University addressed the controversy in a Monday statement, stressing that "individuals who post commentaries to their personal social media accounts do not speak for the University."
The school reaffirmed its commitment to "free, open, and respectful dialogue" and praised student groups for encouraging discussion "that embodies the values of our university." Officials described the matter as a "confidential personnel" issue and asked for patience "as we address it with the seriousness it warrants."
The university did not say if any disciplinary action had been taken, but Chance’s faculty page has since been removed from the school’s website.
Chance said she had been placed on administrative leave.
"I am currently on a two-week administrative leave from Fort Hays State University and will not be checking my university email regularly during this time," she said in an auto-reply from her university email.
A Fort Hays State spokesperson told Fox News Digital Thursday it was "still working through the issue and asking those who have expressed concerns for patience as we address this matter with the seriousness it warrants."
The case comes as several other educators across the country face discipline over social media posts about Kirk’s killing.
In South Dakota, a federal judge temporarily reinstated professor Michael Hook after the University of South Dakota moved to fire him for a post calling Kirk a "hate-spreading Nazi," while an Iowa teacher, Matthew Kargol, is suing his district after being terminated for writing "1 Nazi down." Both men argue their remarks were protected speech, part of a wave of legal challenges testing how far schools can go in punishing employees for controversial online comments after Kirk's murder.