Law professor placed on leave returns to work

The law professor who was put on non-disciplinary leave following online comments about Charlie Kirk’s death has been taken off leave. The Gateway has verified that the professor is Florence Ashley.

Kirk, a prominent right-wing figure in the United States, was fatally shot on September 10 while talking at an event at Utah Valley University.

The faculty of law sent an email to students about putting Ashley on leave on Monday September 15. The email cited “several concerning online comments” and threats targeting staff, students, and faculty. 

Ashley confirmed to The Gateway that they received an official letter from the university notifying them that they could return to work on September 24.

Ashley told The Gateway that they “do not feel safety was the sole reason — and perhaps even the primary reason — for placing [them] on leave.”

They said the university did not consult them about the matter, inquire about the nature of threats Ashely had received, or the number of threats. 

Ashley also said “why mention my posts and a review if it was all about safety? Perhaps there were varying opinions among the administration, but it’s clear to me that there were other reasons at play.”

“The university administration has now made it abundantly clear that they do not have my back,” Ashley says

They told The Gateway that they have faced significant backlash online before. Some of those instances led to increased campus security presence as a precaution, according to Ashley.

“But it frankly does not feel like this time was any worse than those. If anything, the threats this time around were significantly lesser.”

They said maybe there was concern about copycats looking to take after what happened to Kirk, but felt the primary factor in the decision to place Ashley on leave was disapproval of their posts by one or multiple upper administrators.

The Gateway asked Ashley if they feel more hesitant to post openly about their opinion online. Ashley said “as much as I don’t want to be more hesitant — because that means censors and bullies win — it’s hard not to be.”

They said it’s not online backlash they worry about, rather that “the university administration has now made it abundantly clear that they do not have my back.”

Ashley added that although it was Fiona Kelly, the dean of the faculty of law, that sent the email notifying students about Ashley’s leave, Ashley does not believe Kelly was the source of the decision to place them on leave.

“The decision does not fit the impression I have formed of her throughout our interactions,” Ashley said.

Kelly confirmed that Ashley has returned to their duties, but didn’t provide further comment to The Gateway.

Ashley’s comments

Ashley posted several times about Kirk’s death over multiple days. 

Some of their comments asked if the shooting would be blamed on transgender people. They also posted “what are the chances the shooter is actually right wing?” Some of the tweets they reposted referred to people being fired due to their comments about Kirk.

Another comment was a response to a New York Times headline, “Charlie Kirk Was Practicing Politics the Right Way.” Ashley posted “you do not, in fact, ever have to hand it to the Nazis. I utterly do not care for any ‘virtues’ that someone may perceive in them.”

In response to their initial post, Ashley clarified that they were making an allusion to a meme. 

People reposted screenshots of Ashley’s posts, some tagging U of A faculty of law’s X account. Other posts about Ashley’s comments demanded they be fired.

Ashley also posted asking how many threats before they contact the university. 

A University of Toronto professor was placed on leave after posting that “shooting is honestly too good for so many of you fascist c-nts.”

The Gateway requested comment from the university on Ashley’s return to work and the concern that safety wasn’t the only factor in deciding to place them on leave.

U of A media relations said in an email that “the university has completed its safety review, concluding that there is no imminent risk to members of our community.”

“The safety of our students, faculty and staff remains our top priority, and we will continue to monitor the situation closely,” the statement said.