FREE SPEECH CONTROVERSY. Rebel Cole and Karen Leader Both Suspended For Opposing Charlie Kirk Social Media Posts.
BY: ANDREW COLTON | Editor and Publisher | BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2025 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — Two professors suspended from Florida Atlantic University for opposing social media posts about the murder of Charlie Kirk could take legal action against the school, and new Prevost Adam Hasner. While their political positions are polar opposites, sources say Dr. Karen Leader and Dr. Rebel Cole are both considering legal options after they were both sanctioned for making comments online — in personal accounts — about the murdered political activist.
“Both Professor Leader and Professor Cole made comments online in personal accounts,” said a high-ranking school source familiar with the situation. “Both exercised speech protected by the First Amendment. The reputations of both professors have been grievously damaged by the school’s actions.”
Dr. Leader, a tenured professor of Women’s Studies, was suspended for reposting someone else’s posts highlighting some of Charlie Kirk’s most controversial comments. She also wrote that Republicans could honor Charlie Kirk by releasing the Epstein files — something Kirk called for. We are publishing one of her X posts, below.
Dr. Cole, also a tenured professor, was suspended after he posted what some called a “threat” to students. But sources with knowledge of Cole’s thinking say that he was not threatening anyone — just reacting to someone else’s X post. Both professors posted from personal accounts that made no mention of Florida Atlantic University. Neither posted anything that referenced their positions at FAU.
Florida Atlantic University Prevost Adam Hasner suspended Leader, then suspended Cole. Hasner, who spent years in Florida Republican politics, was appointed to FAU’s top spot by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Hasner held an on-campus vigil for Charlie Kirk following his murder.
FAU Spokesperson Joshua Glanzer did not respond to a request for information about the cases. It was not immediately clear if Professors Leader and Cole had retained legal counsel.
