Tennessee Professor Placed on Leave After Charlie Kirk Assassination Comments Wins Nearly $2M in Wrongful Termination Case

by Zachery Schmidt | Jun 30, 2026 | Justice, News, Tennessee, The South

A former University of Tennessee-Knoxville (UTK) assistant professor who was placed on administrative leave for comments she made after Charlie Kirk’s assassination received nearly $2 million to settle her wrongful termination lawsuit. The UTK Board of Trustees’...

Pappert: Defamation Lawsuit Alleges Candace Owens Had Records That Undermine Claims by Podcast Guest

by Kaitlin Housler | May 5, 2026 | Justice, News, Tennessee, The Michael Patrick Leahy Show, The South

The Tennessee Star’s lead reporter, Tom Pappert, outlined the central allegations in a newly filed defamation lawsuit against podcaster Candace Owens, highlighting claims that she amplified unverified accusations tied to the assassination of Turning Point USA Founder...

FTC Flags Nashville Prep School’s Conduct Code Under Consumer Protection Law

by Kaitlin Housler | Mar 17, 2026 | Education, News, Tennessee, The South

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has stepped into an ongoing dispute between Nashville prep school Lipscomb Academy and concerned parents, raising questions about whether the private Christian school’s code of conduct unlawfully restricts free expression. In a...

Turning Point USA’s Josh Thifault Reflects on Charlie Kirk’s Vision and Legacy

by Kaitlin Housler | Jan 19, 2026 | National, News, Politics, Tennessee, The Michael Patrick Leahy Show

Josh Thifault, one of the earliest leaders at Turning Point USA and a close friend of its founder, Charlie Kirk, sat down for an exclusive interview with The Tennessee Star’s CEO and editor-in-chief, Michael Patrick Leahy, last week, where he described Kirk as a...

Tennessee College Reinstates Professor Fired over Charlie Kirk Social Media Post

by Zachery Schmidt | Jan 5, 2026 | Education, News, Tennessee, The South

Austin Peay State University (APSU) reinstated a college professor who initially was fired for a social media post he made after conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination. On September 10th, the day Kirk was assassinated at an event at Utah Valley University,...

Initiative to Launch Turning Point USA Chapters in All High Schools, Colleges Announced in Tennessee

by Kaitlin Housler | Dec 15, 2025 | Education, News, Tennessee, The South

An initiative to launch Turning Point USA (TPUSA) chapters across all public high schools post-secondary institutions in Tennessee was announced Friday at the Tennessee State Capitol. TPUSA leaders and top Tennessee officials – including U.S. Senator Marsha...

Turning Point Action Backs Marsha Blackburn in Tennessee 2026 Governor’s Race

by Kaitlin Housler | Dec 8, 2025 | Elections, News, Tennessee, The South

Turning Point Action (TPA), an affiliate group of Turning Point USA, endorsed U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) in the 2026 Tennessee gubernatorial race last week. In 2019, the late Charlie Kirk founded TPA. The organization’s mission is to “embolden the...

First Turning Point USA Event Held at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Headlined by Riley Gaines

by Kaitlin Housler | Nov 20, 2025 | Education, News, Tennessee, The South

Former NCAA swimmer and political activist Riley Gaines spoke at the first Turning Point USA (TPUSA) event at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) on Tuesday. TPUSA was approved as a Registered Student Organization by the UTC Dean of Students Office in...

Professor Sues University of Tennessee After Being Suspended for Charlie Kirk Comments

by Zachery Schmidt | Oct 31, 2025 | Justice, News, Tennessee, The South

An assistant professor at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville (UTK) sued the school this week after being placed on administrative leave following the comment she made about conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Tamar Shirinian, who taught anthropology at the...

Sean Davis: Charlie Kirk’s Assassination Marks Start of Dangerous New American Era

by Kaitlin Housler | Oct 29, 2025 | Culture, News, Tennessee, The Michael Patrick Leahy Show, The South

Sean Davis, CEO and co-founder of The Federalist, described America as entering a dangerous new phase he calls the “post-Charlie Kirk era,” claiming that the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk marked the nation’s first true instance of Christian...