Free speech, campus safety, and the fallout from Charlie Kirk’s assassination

The debate over free speech on college campuses has reignited across Texas after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah and the disciplinary actions taken against students and faculty who mocked or ridiculed his death.

At Texas Tech University, the controversy reached a boiling point last week when 18-year-old Camryn Giselle Booker was arrested for simple assault during a midday altercation in the Free Speech Area on campus.

According to the Texas Tech Police Department Crime Log, Booker was taken into custody last Friday after she confronted a student who was standing alone holding a sign that read, “Rest in Peace Charlie Kirk.” The sign honored Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, who was killed in a targeted shooting on the campus of Utah Valley University last Tuesday.

The incident, captured on video and widely shared online, shows Booker taunting the student, singing a derogatory chant about Kirk’s death and appearing to strike at his red “Make America Great Again” cap.

“F*** your homie dead. He got shot in the head,” Booker is heard singing in the clip. The individual filming — who later posted the video online — responded by turning the camera to Booker and saying, “Evil is real, people, and it kind of looks like that.” At another moment, he said directly into the camera: “Murder is bad. She is evil.”

Texas Tech confirmed Monday that Booker is no longer enrolled at the university.

Viral Video, Statewide Backlash

Booker’s confrontation became a flashpoint in a larger national conversation. The video, shared across multiple platforms, quickly gained traction and drew comments from state officials, university leadership, and the public.

Gov. Greg Abbott weighed in Sunday afternoon with a post on X (formerly Twitter), writing:

“Definitely picked the wrong school to taunt the death of Charlie Kirk. Thanks Texas Tech.”

Cody Campbell, chairman of the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents, replied publicly to Abbott’s message:

“We, @TexasTech, are proud of our values and are not afraid to stand up for them. Strive for Honor Evermore! Long Live the Matadors!!”

Dr. Tedd Mitchell, Chancellor of the Texas Tech University System, also issued a statement emphasizing the school’s values-based culture.

“Any behavior that denigrates victims of violence is reprehensible, and we reject conduct that could foster or lead to violence,” Mitchell wrote. “Institutions of higher education have long served as places of learning and growth – places where our learners can pursue an education free from fear… Each of us has a responsibility to uphold an environment of dignity and safety.”

Texas Tech itself reiterated that message in a separate release:

“Any behavior that denigrates victims of violence is reprehensible, has no place on our campus, and does not align with our values. Federal law prevents Texas Tech University from commenting on individual student conduct matters. We take all reported violations seriously and address them under university policy and the law.”

Other Texas Universities Respond

Texas Tech was not alone in facing fallout from student responses to Kirk’s death. Several other universities across Texas have issued statements, and at least two have expelled students.

At Baylor University, a graduate student faced consequences after posting remarks online mocking Kirk’s death. The university condemned the remarks, writing: “To make light of the death of a fellow human being is completely inappropriate and completely counter to Baylor’s Christian mission.” That individual was also removed from his job at a Texas middle school.

The University of North Texas (UNT) became the subject of online debate after a video circulated showing students cheering during a classroom discussion about Kirk’s death. In the video, one student pushed back, saying: “We should not be cheering as a class that someone got shot. He has a family.” UNT responded within hours, pledging accountability for any student who violated school policy or the law.

At Texas State University, a student was filmed mocking Kirk’s assassination during a pro-Kirk demonstration on campus. Abbott called for that student’s expulsion, posting on X: “Mocking assassination must have consequences.” The university later confirmed that the student was “no longer enrolled.” Texas State President Dr. Kelly Damphousse called the actions “disturbing” and said: “I will not tolerate behavior that mocks, trivializes, or promotes violence on our campuses.”

Beyond students, faculty have also faced scrutiny. Texas State professor Dr. Thomas Alter was fired after remarks at an online socialism conference criticizing U.S. foreign policy. Alter has since filed suit against the university, arguing his dismissal violated his First Amendment rights. His lawyer told CBS Austin that he was terminated “because he espoused views that are unpopular in today’s conservative, politically-charged climate.”

Lawmakers Step In

The wave of campus incidents and university responses has drawn the attention of state lawmakers. Leaders in both chambers of the Texas Legislature announced the formation of House and Senate select committees on “Civil Discourse and Freedom of Speech in Higher Education.”

According to organizers, the committees will study ways to safeguard free expression on college campuses while also ensuring that political gatherings and demonstrations are conducted safely. Recommendations from the panels are expected to shape future legislative policy.

Free speech on college campuses has been a recurring focus for Abbott and other state leaders in recent years. In 2019, Abbott signed Senate Bill 18, legislation aimed at preventing colleges from restricting speech based on viewpoint. “Although the First Amendment guarantees free speech in America, some colleges in Texas were banning free speech on campus. No more,” Abbott said at the time.

More recently, the Legislature passed Senate Bill 2972, an update to that earlier law, clarifying rules around disruptive demonstrations and when schools can restrict speech to preserve order.

And in 2024, Abbott signed an executive order requiring universities to “review and update” their free speech policies to establish punishments — including expulsion — for students who engage in conduct deemed to promote or glorify violence.

A Longstanding Tension

While Kirk’s assassination and the subsequent fallout have thrust the issue into the spotlight once again, the debate over free speech and campus safety is hardly new.

Universities have historically been focal points for protest, debate, and the airing of controversial ideas. From anti-war demonstrations in the 1960s to recent protests over U.S. foreign policy in Gaza, campuses have served as battlegrounds for the nation’s cultural and political divides.

What has changed in recent years, however, is both the immediacy of social media and the willingness of state leaders to weigh in on individual incidents. Clips like the one filmed at Texas Tech can reach millions of viewers in a matter of hours, amplifying outrage and pressuring institutions to act quickly.

This acceleration raises difficult questions for universities: How should they balance their obligations under the First Amendment with their responsibility to maintain a safe and respectful learning environment? At what point does speech cross the line into conduct that can be punished?

Students’ Views on Violence

A study by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) sheds light on shifting attitudes among students. The report found that one in three students now say it is acceptable to use violence to stop a speaker from presenting — a sharp increase from one in five just five years ago.

This rise in acceptance of violence as a means of silencing opposing views may help explain why state leaders, including Abbott, have taken a hard line in recent months, calling for expulsions and firings even when offensive remarks fall into legally protected categories of speech.

The Fine Line Ahead

The cases unfolding at Texas Tech, Baylor, UNT, and Texas State illustrate the difficulty of drawing the line between constitutionally protected free expression and behavior that incites or celebrates violence.

Universities are under pressure from multiple directions: state leaders demanding stronger punishments, civil liberties advocates warning against censorship, and students navigating an increasingly polarized environment.

At Texas Tech, the Free Speech Area where Booker was arrested is itself a reminder of the institution’s attempt to manage this balance — a designated space for expression, but one that is still subject to law and order.

The national attention surrounding these incidents underscores that the issue is far from settled. As Abbott and lawmakers continue to press for new policies, and as universities confront viral controversies in real time, the boundaries of free expression on campus will remain contested ground.

Looking Forward

Charlie Kirk’s death and the backlash to student responses have set in motion a series of decisions — arrests, expulsions, firings, and legislative inquiries — that will shape the future of campus discourse in Texas.

For some, these moves represent necessary accountability. For others, they raise alarms about creeping government overreach into university affairs and student expression.

What remains clear is that universities, students, and policymakers will continue to wrestle with the same questions that have animated campus debates for generations: How far does free speech go? When does it cross the line into incitement or harassment? And who gets to decide where that line is drawn?

As Texas Tech and other institutions navigate these turbulent waters, the tension between freedom and order — expression and safety — will remain at the center of the conversation.