On Oct. 16, 2025, Auburn University lecturer, Dr. Candice Hale spoke out on her personal social media accounts regarding her recent employment terminations from Auburn University and The University of Alabama.
Hale's Facebook and Instagram posts come only about a month after Auburn University released an official statement on Sept. 17, regarding the termination of employees because of prior statements not lining up with university values.
Hale was a lecturer of English at Auburn, teaching composition, world literature and African American literature. She started at Auburn in fall 2023, teaching four classes per semester with around 80 to 100 students. She claims her time at Auburn was positive prior to her termination. Since her termination, Hale has been banned from campus and forbidden contact with her students.
"[...] I wasn’t given the chance to say goodbye to my students. The abrupt separation from both universities left many of them confused and concerned, and the lack of closure disrupted our shared learning experience," Hale said. "Students deserve transparency and care, especially during transitions—and the way this was handled failed us both."
Her original statement on Facebook was made on Sept. 11 after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.
The statement reads: "I do not mourn oppressors. I do not show them empathy. I don't give a damn about evil racist, fascist, misogynistic, homophobic, transphobic, xenophobic, mediocre, white men who claim to be Christian and then do everything Christ would not do on Earth."
Her Oct. 16 statement was posted to Facebook, in which she discussed her employment status. In her statement, Hale claims she was treated as a "threat" by the University.
When contacted about insight into what being labeled as a "threat" means, Scott Forehand, the director of compliance, investigations and security for Auburn University, and Chris Hardman, a behavioral threat assessment coordinator for the University, have yet to respond.
When gathering information on this topic, The Plainsman reached out to Jennifer Adams, Vice President for Public Affairs, Communication & Marketing for Auburn University, with the following questions.
1. What does it mean to be labeled as a “threat” by the university?
2. Will Auburn’s censorship among those speaking out on Charlie Kirk’s death apply to the same standard when someone from the left is assassinated?
3. Is the administration saying that Dr. Hale and other individuals were fired because their social media posts represented threatening behavior and not just reprehensible speech? Or was this just the case for Dr. Hale?
4. What is the university's stance on free speech? How does the University determine what can and can't be said? How do you all know there's no "infringement" on this right?
5. The Plainsman is informed about the employee handbook for the University, however, is there a social media contract or guideline that employees sign?
Upon receiving these questions, Adams responded with "The university does not comment on pending litigation."
When Hale made her original statement, she wasn't aware of the original statement made by the University on Sept. 17. Instead, that day, she was asked to meet with Chris Hardman over Microsoft Teams at 3:30 p.m. During that meeting, she learned that she was being labeled as a threat due to her Facebook post.
Hale has now been censored by two different employers, to which she gave her insight.
"The censorship felt like a double blow. Within days, I was terminated from my alma mater [University of Alabama] and placed on administrative leave from Auburn University," Hale said. "The emotional aftermath has been overwhelming—stress, sadness, anger, disappointment, helplessness and fear. But amid the pain, I’ve also found renewed courage, strength, and resilience."
Hale claims that her and other terminated individuals' censorships creates a paradox of what students are being taught: "to understand and use the power of their voice." She wants to remind students that voice and inquiry are two things that can take them far.
After her posts, she was asked to meet with the threat assessment team, which is housed under Campus Safety. Hale was questioned for 27 minutes. This meeting was to assess if Hale was considered a threat or if she was being threatened.
The meeting came along after someone sent her Sept. 11 post to the behavioral threat team. During this meeting, the team attempted to gain insight into Kirk's ideology, murder and Hale's views on murder and racism.
By the end of this meeting, she was determined not to be a threat, though, two days later she had another meeting with Tami Poe, senior manager of human resources and college of liberal arts dean, Jason Hicks.
Hale asked for a delay in this meeting time, as to seek counsel to represent her, which was denied on Sept. 22. The next day, Hale was put under a permanent ban from Auburn's campus. Upon receiving this ban and determination of non-threatening behavior, Hale still faced termination.
Auburn Lawsuit by Caleb Taylor
Upon her termination, Hale filed a lawsuit in federal court, citing First Amendment violations at both Auburn University and The University of Alabama. Her lawyer, Kira Fonteneau, specializes in employment law, civil rights and mediation.
"This lawsuit is about whether or not a public employer can discipline its employees because they do not agree with or find distasteful the opinions expressed by the employees. We believe that government employees are entitled to the full protection of the United States Constitution," Fonteneau said.
Fonteneau also claims that public employees have a right to speak out without consequences from their employers if they're speaking for themselves and not their employers. She wants to remind readers that the First Amendment protects the rights of citizens to speak freely on issues of public concern.
The lawsuit filing cites the college of liberal arts' academic freedom policy, which was applicable to Hale during her time at Auburn. The policy reads as follows:
"The First Amendment and the principle of Academic Freedom protect the right of both faculty members and students to express ideas and engage in debate – in writing, in the classroom, on campus and beyond the university – without fear of censorship, sanction or retaliation. Academic freedom, in particular, provides students and faculty both with the right to express their views and the right to challenge another’s views without penalty."
Hale also claims that her termination is not just a personal issue, but an academic freedom issue. She says that she'll continue to fight back on this issue, not only on behalf of herself, but for others. She wants fellow faculty members to remember they can speak openly without fear of retaliation.
"I refuse to be silenced. What happened to me is not just about personal loss—it’s about the broader implications for academic freedom and the rights of faculty to speak openly in their personal lives without fear of retaliation," Hale said. "I will continue to speak out, not only for myself but for others who are watching and wondering if their voices matter. They do. And mine will be heard."
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Brychelle Brooks, senior majoring in public and professional writing with a minor in information systems, has been with The Auburn Plainsman since August 2023. She previously served as the Campus Reporter, Opinion Editor and Newsletter Editor. She is currently serving as the Editor-in-Chief.
