Alberta law professor reinstated after leave over Kirk comments

Florence Ashley has confirmed that he is the law professor the University of Alberta placed on leave. Ashley, who has since been reinstated, previously drew criticism for social media posts.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Florence Ashley has confirmed that he is the law professor the University of Alberta placed on leave. Ashley, who has since been reinstated, previously drew criticism for social media posts.

In one post related to an Ezra Klein opinion piece titled “Charlie Kirk Was Practicing Politics the Right Way,” Ashley wrote, “You do not, in fact, ever have to hand it to the Nazis. I utterly do not care for any ‘virtues’ that someone may perceive in them.”

Ashley also posted on Bluesky, “Why do I feel like they’ll somehow find a way to blame Charlie Kirk’s shooting on trans people?” That post has since been deleted after revelations that Kirk’s alleged assassin, Tyler Robinson, lived with and dated a transgender person.

A university spokesperson told True North that the unnamed individual had been put on non-disciplinary leave temporarily.

Ashley broke down the situation, in his eyes, in one of his blog posts.

He argued that his comments “fell within the scope of academic freedom and freedom of expression.”

Ashley also argued that his professional reputation had been injured by the “harassment campaign.”

However, it wasn’t the first time online media exposed Ashley’s beliefs. A clip from January 2024, shared by the popular X account Libs of TikTok, amassed almost a million views.

“This is Florence Ashley. A nonbinary law professor at @UAlbertaLaw who tells kids on TikTok to ‘be gay and do crime.’ [He] was just appointed by the WHO to create the guidelines on child se* change surgeries,” reads the caption.

“Anyone who is a prof, and posted something like this, should be instantly dismissed from their job. That isn’t even close to being ‘ok,’” reads one of the most liked replies.

Ashley has called on the university to apologize for putting him on leave.

He said the university sent him a letter informing him of his leave on September 14.

Ashley said he suggested he could teach online. On September 16, he was informed that he would be granted that wish.

He was subsequently informed that he could return to teaching in person on September 19. On September 24, he received a letter informing him that his non-disciplinary leave was lifted as of two days prior.