MUNCIE, Ind -- A woman fired by Ball State University over posts criticizing Charlie Kirk in the wake of his assassination will receive a settlement in a lawsuit against the university.

The ACLU announced a settlement in a lawsuit it filed on behalf of Suzanne Swierc. According to AP, she worked as the university's director of health promotions and advocacy. She was fired in September 2025 after making a Facebook post calling the killing of Kirk a "tragedy," but also a "reflection of the violence, fear, and hatred he sowed." She included: "If you think Charlie Kirk was a wonderful person, we can't be friends."

At the time, Ball State officials cited the post as the sole reason for her firing, saying it caused "significant disruption" to campus. The ACLU argued the firing violated Swierc's First Amendment rights. Attorneys for Swierc also said her Facebook page's privacy blocked her posts from the general public, and that the posts were only shared after screenshots were spread online.

In a statement to campus leaders, university president Geoffrey Mearns defended the firing, and insisted it would have been more expensive taking the case to court.