Key Takeaways
- Chancellor Glenn Boyce condemned comments as contrary to the university's values, emphasizing the need for a respectful campus environment.
- Post referred to Kirk as a 'reimagined' Klan member, alleging that his politics were linked to violence and oppression against marginalized groups.
The University of Mississippi has fired an employee for an “insensitive” social media post she shared after the shooting death of conservative leader Charlie Kirk.
Although the university’s announcement does not provide her name, several regional news outlets have identified her as Lauren Stokes, executive assistant to the vice chancellor of development at the university.
She could not immediately be reached for comment Friday by The College Fix.
On Thursday, Ole Miss Chancellor Glenn Boyce condemned her Instagram post in his announcement regarding her termination.
“Yesterday, a University of Mississippi staff member re-shared hurtful, insensitive comments on social media regarding the tragic murder of Charlie Kirk,” Boyce wrote. “These comments run completely counter to our institutional values of civility, fairness, and respecting the dignity of each person. We condemn these actions, and this staff member is no longer employed by the university.”
He also wrote that campus community members “have a responsibility to take seriously our commitment to upholding a civil and respectful campus environment.”
The post Stokes had shared “referred to Kirk as a ‘reimagined’ Ku Klux Klan member, whose politics were responsible for school shootings, mass killings via gunfire, anti-abortion laws, and acts of brutality committed against racial minorities,” according to Supertalk Mississippi.
It stated in part: “For decades, yt (sic) supremacist and reimagined Klan members like Kirk have wreaked havoc on our communities, condemning children and the populace at large to mass death for the sake of keeping their automatic guns. They have willingly advocated to condemn children and adult survivors of [sexual assault] to forced pregnancy and childbirth.”
“They have smiled while stating the reasons people who can birth children shouldn’t be allowed life-saving medical care when miscarrying,” the post added. “They have incited and clapped for the brutalizing of Black and Brown bodies. So no, I have no prayers to offer Kirk or respectable statements against violence.”
According to Mississippi Today, “Kirk was scheduled to appear at Ole Miss on Oct. 29 as part of his ‘The American Comeback tour.'”

Mississippi State Auditor Shad White had initially flagged her post on social media, prompting the action from the university.
Mississippi Today reported: “It’s another high profile instance where White has used his platform to call out university employees and higher education leaders in the state for their beliefs he says are antithetical to conservative policy.”
“In 2020, he pushed for a University of Mississippi professor to be fired after he stopped going to work for two weeks to protest racial inequality,” the news outlet reported.
MORE: Middle Tennessee State dean fired after saying she has ‘ZERO sympathy’ for Charlie Kirk’s death