Kansas professor placed on leave after calling Charlie Kirk’s assassination ‘karma’ and attacking white men
Fort Hays State University psychology professor Nuchelle Chance has been placed on administrative leave after social media posts about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s murder sparked widespread backlash.
One of the posts referred to white American men as “the most dangerous animals on the planet.”
A Fort Hays State University (FHSU) professor in Kansas has been placed on administrative leave after her social media posts about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s murder sparked backlash.
On Sept. 10, the day Kirk was shot and killed at a Utah university, psychology professor Nuchelle Chance wrote on Facebook, “Me thinks the word ‘karma’ is appropriate.” Days later, she posted that “White American men are the most dangerous animals on the planet,” according to Fox News.
“It’s always ironic that the shooters, the perpetrators of these mass incidents, they always tend to fit a certain demographic…White American men…they’re the perpetrators of these crimes…the average person sees that and understands that,” Chance added on Sept. 29.
Chance’s faculty webpage has been removed as the university continues its review of the incident. As of publication, following the link to the page results in an error message.
Chance’s school email returns an automatic reply, confirming that she has been placed on administrative leave. “I am currently on a two-week administrative leave from Fort Hays State University,” it states. “I will be checking my university email regularly during this time.”
In a statement to Campus Reform, Chance said that she respects Fort Hays State University’s process under its anti-harassment and discrimination policies but is “deeply troubled by the chilling effect this scrutiny has on academic freedom.”
Chance also accused her political opponents of “vociferously” supporting Tyler Robinson, Charlie Kirk’s alleged murderer.
[RELATED: Tomato thrown at Charlie Kirk memorial, police officer swiftly intervenes]
She insisted her comments were “a thoughtful, data-driven critique of systemic gun violence,” and not hate speech. Chance accused critics of launching a “campaign of manufactured outrage” rooted in racism and sexism. “I am rather curious as to how many of my opponents are actually college-educated,” Chance added.
“As we navigate the disruption caused by this incident, we will continue to treat this as a confidential personnel matter and with necessary due diligence,” Scott Cason, a communications official with FHSU, told Campus Reform. “The processes we follow and decisions we make are guided by state and federal law and Kansas Board of Regents and university policy.”
This is not the first time that a professor has made headlines for statements connected to Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
University of Pennsylvania vice provost and climate activist Michael Mann, for instance, resigned after facing backlash for a social media post mocking Charlie Kirk’s assassination and comparing him to the “Hitler Youth.”
Campus Reform contacted Fort Hays State University and Nuchelle Chance for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
