Settlement Reached in Lawsuit Over University Employee's Firing Related to Facebook Post

Suzanne Swierc, a former employee of Ball State University, will receive $225,000 to settle a lawsuit claiming her free speech rights were violated after she was fired for a Facebook post about conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The American Civil Liberties Union announced the settlement on May 27, 2026. Swierc, who was the director of health promotion and advocacy at the university, was terminated in September 2025, with the university citing her post as the reason for her dismissal due to its impact on campus. ACLU attorney Stevie Pactor stated that Swierc was expressing her views as a private citizen on a public issue, which should be protected under the First Amendment. Ball State University President Geoffrey Mearns defended the decision to fire Swierc, citing concerns about the potential negative effects on student enrollment and fundraising. He described the settlement as a modest payment compared to the costs of litigation. The incident follows a trend where several individuals have faced job losses over social media comments regarding Kirk's assassination, with other settlements reported in similar cases.