OXFORD, MS — The University of Mississippi has confirmed the termination of staff member Lauren Stokes following a controversial social media post she made in response to the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The firing comes amidst widespread online backlash and a community uproar that also targeted a local restaurant co-founded by Stokes.
Lauren Stokes, who served as an executive assistant for the vice chancellor at the university, garnered public scrutiny after she re-shared a post that referred to Kirk as a “reimagined Klan member” and stated that the author had “no prayers to offer Kirk or respectable statements against violence.” The post was shared shortly after news broke of Kirk’s death.
The 31-year-old Kirk, a prominent podcaster and founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed on Wednesday while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. His death has been widely condemned as a political assassination, and authorities are still searching for the suspect.
Stokes’s re-shared post quickly went viral, leading to a firestorm on social media with many users calling for her immediate termination from the university and a boycott of her local restaurant, Tarasque Cucina. The restaurant’s online ratings and reviews have reportedly plummeted in the wake of the controversy.
On Thursday, Ole Miss Chancellor Glenn Boyce issued a statement confirming that Stokes was no longer employed by the university. The statement condemned the comments, noting that they “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,” Chancellor Boyce wrote. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Kirk family, as well as members of our campus community who are affected by this senseless act of violence.”
The university’s actions follow a swift and intense public reaction, highlighting the complexities universities and businesses face in navigating employee conduct on social media, especially when it relates to sensitive and politically charged events.
Bob Bakken provides content for DeSoto County News and its social media channels. He is an award-winning broadcaster, along with being a reporter and photographer, and has done sports media relations work with junior and minor league hockey teams. Along with his reports on this website, you will find this veteran media member providing sports updates and high school football play-by-play on Rebel 95.3 FM Radio.
