A Montana State University-Northern professor who was placed on leave for her social media comments about Charlie Kirk will be allowed to teach on campus again in the spring, according to the professor’s attorney.
With a policy from the Montana University System in place that protects personal political beliefs and a state law that prevents discipline based on “legal expressions of free speech” on personal social media, questions remain about how the university justified placing Samantha Balemba-Brownlee on leave in September.
“I don’t think the university’s actions here are consistent with Montana’s statutes, First Amendment, Supreme Court rulings and the university system’s free speech policies,” Paul Leisher, an attorney representing Balemba-Brownlee, told Montana Free Press Monday.
He added that, in his opinion, the university’s actions were disciplinary.
Reached on Monday, University Relations Director Jim Potter said he was not allowed to confirm anything before hanging up on a reporter. Attempts to reach Balemba-Brownlee were unsuccessful.
The university put Balemba-Brownlee, a criminal justice professor, on leave after her initially private Facebook posts about Kirk became widely shared around Havre.
Kirk, a conservative political figure, was shot and killed Sept. 10 during a public appearance at a Utah university.
Balemba-Brownlee wrote Facebook posts saying Kirk was a “misogynistic, racist, homophobic, xenophobic asshole. He spread hate. He harmed society. He cut down women at every turn.” Reacting to the shooting, she wrote, “Holy shit! Someone shot Charlie Kirk in the neck! Not condoning violence, but maybe people are sick of the garbage he spews, perhaps?”
related
Montana professor still sidelined for Kirk comments
Montana State University-Northern placed a professor on leave in response to social media comments she made about the assassination of the conservative figure Charlie Kirk. The school said it will evaluate the situation, but it’s unclear what that evaluation will include.
In another post that has been shared across social media, Balemba-Brownlee wrote, “Update: He died. Aw shucks. Thoughts and prayers.”
Sarah McKinney, a former Havre city council member, took screenshots of the posts and shared them publicly on Facebook. The university placed Balemba-Brownlee on leave Sept. 12 in its own Facebook post, which was signed by Chancellor Greg Kegel. It said, “Any statements made by our staff or faculty do not reflect the opinions of MSU-Northern.”
Since then, school officials haven’t spoken publicly about the situation.
The same day Balemba-Brownlee was placed on leave, Gov. Greg Gianforte wrote on Facebook that some posts in the wake of Kirk’s death were “disgusting.” But he reiterated in the same post that state law prohibits the termination of employees based on social media comments.
An organization called the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) has been publicly advocating for Balemba-Brownlee. The organization sent a letter to MSU-N officials in September urging the university to reinstate Balemba-Brownlee. The letter argued that while the professor could face consequences for that speech, “investigating faculty for their protected expression clearly violated that commitment” to upholding the First Amendment.
FIRE’s Marie McMullan told MTFP Monday that the practical effect of the university’s actions is a chilling effect on speech. Other faculty members may think twice about their comments on public matters.
“That’s why the investigations can be harmful on the First Amendment rights of faculty members and the public dialogue as a whole,” McMullan said.
McMullan cited another case the organization has been monitoring from the University of South Dakota. There, the university threatened to fire Professor Michael Hook for an apparently derogatory post about Kirk in the wake of his assassination. Hook sued the university, which ultimately dropped its effort to terminate him.
At MSU-Northern, Balemba Brownlee has been cleared to return to the classroom for the 2026 spring semester, according to The Havre Weekly Chronicle, which was first to report the update. MTFP independently confirmed that reporting.
Leisher, Balemba-Brownlee’s attorney, said they are considering several options after the professor was barred from working for a semester.
“I would only feel safe saying that it has been significant,” Leisher said about the impact to Balemba-Brownlee. “Significantly negative.”
In-depth, independent reporting on the stories impacting your community from reporters who know your town.
latest stories
Flint, Forstag in dead heat for House seat
Aaron Flint and Sam Forstag appear to be in a dead heat for Montana’s Western District House race, according to a Montana Free Press-Rutgers Eagleton poll.
Train derails in Shelby, authorities say ‘no immediate danger’
The Toole County Sheriff’s Office said on social media that the office received reports of a multi-car derailment on tracks close to town.
Major Forest Service policies could be changing. Here’s what’s at stake.
The U.S. Forest Service is proposing changes to the Roadless Rule and Travel Management Rule that could alter how roads, motorized travel and recreation are managed across millions of acres of national forest land. The changes could have significant implications for public access, conservation and land management.
