Muncie, Indiana — Ball State University agreed to pay $225,000 to settle a First Amendment lawsuit filed by former employee Suzanne Swierc after she was terminated over controversial comments regarding conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Swierc, who previously served as the university’s director of health promotion and advocacy, sued Ball State President Geoffrey Mearns after being fired in September 2025. The lawsuit argued the university violated her constitutional free speech rights by terminating her over a private Facebook post made following Kirk’s death.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, which represented Swierc, argued she was speaking as a private citizen on a matter of public concern and that her comments were protected under the First Amendment.
University officials disputed that interpretation. In a message to university leadership, Mearns said the settlement was approved primarily to avoid higher legal costs and insisted the agreement did not validate Swierc’s legal claims. He maintained the firing was based on disruption and safety concerns after the post triggered backlash, threatening phone calls, and harassment directed at university staff.
The controversy escalated after Swierc’s comments were shared on Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita’s “Eyes on Education” portal and spread widely on social media.
As part of the settlement, Ball State agreed to allow former colleagues and supervisors to serve as professional references for Swierc and acknowledge her contributions to university health programs.
Sources:
Discover more from News Facts Network
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
