The University of Toronto says it took immediate action after learning about what it called “concerning social media posts” from one of its professors, and that the faculty member is now on leave and no longer on campus.
On Thursday, Ontario’s Colleges and Universities Minister Nolan Quinn posted a link to a news story about a post reportedly made by Ruth Marshall in the wake of the assassination of Conservative influencer Charlie Kirk.
In the post, which, along with the account, appears to have been removed, Marshall reportedly said that shooting was too good for fascists.
Quinn slammed Marshall’s reported post on Thursday, saying it ran contrary to what universities are supposed to be about.
“Universities and their professors are supposed to foster critical thought, respectful debate, and be safe learning environments – and this professor’s violent rhetoric flagrantly flies in the face of that. I’ve been clear with the University of Toronto: they need to act,” read Quinn’s post.
The University of Toronto Faculty Association confirms in an email that the school’s administration has placed Marshall on administrative leave, saying it will not comment further on the matter.
Marshall, who is an associate professor of religion and political science, has not responded to a request for comment by The Canadian Press sent to her University of Toronto email.
“The university took immediate action upon learning of the concerning social media posts of a University of Toronto professor,” the university said in an email on Saturday.
“The faculty member is now on leave and not on campus. The matter is being looked into, and the university will not be commenting further.”
Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was a top podcaster, culture warrior and ally of President Donald Trump, and was shot dead on Wednesday while speaking at an outdoor event at a Utah college campus.
A 22-year-old man who was identified as a suspect was later arrested.
The professor isn’t the only Canadian figure to face fire for the content of opinions expressed online following Kirk’s killing. Nahanni Fontaine, Manitoba’s families minister, shared another person’s post that described Kirk as racist, sexist, and a white nationalist mouthpiece.
The post also said there is no empathy for Kirk — only for his children.
Fontaine later removed the post and issued a brief written apology that said violence has no place in democracy. Despite Opposition calls for her resignation, Premier Wab Kinew has stood by her and said he wants to help her understand the need to bring people together and not divide them.
