Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is investigating whether the University of North Texas (UNT) violated state law after a student claimed she was harassed for condemning those celebrating Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
In a letter addressed to the university’s president, Harrison Keller, and the Dean of Students, Laura Smith, Paxton said he is investigating the institution for multiple breaches, including violation of the Code of Student Conduct, violation of the Employee Ethics policy, and violation of the Free Speech policy.
The student has been identified on social media as Mary-Catherine Hallmark. Hallmark first posted about the incident on 10 September via TikTok, in which she is seen telling a classmate: “We should not be celebrating as a class that someone got shot,” in reference to Charlie Kirk.
In a subsequent TikTok video, Hallmark claimed that her professor approached only her and said: “Y’all should take this outside.”
Paxton alleged in his letter that the professor failed to intervene, asked Hallmark to leave, and ultimately punished her for her views.
According to the Christian Post, an audio recording between Hallmark and UNT police reveals that she reported facing threats and harassment on the anonymous social media app Yik Yak, targeting her religious and political beliefs.
“To ensure the student’s story was heard and her requests adequately addressed, I request that the university expand its investigation into the students who engaged in the outrageous actions depicted in this video,” Paxton wrote.
He added that the university should also investigate the professor “who ratified that conduct by acting discriminatorily against the complaining student”, as well as review the process followed by staff who, he claimed, failed to address Hallmark’s concerns appropriately.
“The student’s allegations are concerning,” Paxton said. “Texans must be reassured that their children are not being subjected to such indoctrination.”