KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A University of Tennessee assistant professor who faced termination after state and university leaders said she celebrated Charlie Kirk's assassination and "endorsed violence and murder" filed a federal lawsuit against the school on Wednesday.

Tamar Shirinian named the university, Chancellor Donde Plowman, President Randy Boyd and President of the UTK Faculty Senate Charles Noble. She claims her First Amendment rights were violated and she accused them of retaliation.

UT announced on Sept. 15 that it placed assistant professor Tamar Shirinian, an anthropology faculty member, on administrative leave and began termination proceedings against her after looking into a social media post she made.

The post said "the world is better off without [Charlie Kirk] in it." She w

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