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 denouncing anyone celebrating Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
In a letter addressed to the school’s president, Harrison Keller, and the Dean of Students, Laura Smith, Paxton said he is investigating the university for multiple violations, 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 as Mary-Catherine Hallmark on social media. Hallmark first posted the incident on Sept. 10 to TikTok, which shows her challenging her telling a classmate, “We should not be celebrating as a class that someone got shot,” referencing Charlie Kirk.
In another video posted on her TikTok, Hallmark claims the professor came up to her only and said: “Y’all should take this outside.”
Paxton claimed in his letter that the professor failed to intervene, asked Hallmark to leave, and ultimately punished her for her beliefs.
According to the Christian Post, an audio recording between Hallmark and UNT police details that Hallmark told police that she faced threats and harassment on the anonymous social media app Yik Yak, which attacked 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 also goes on to say the university should also investigate the professor “who ratified that conduct by acting discriminatorily against the complaining student”, along with the process by the university staff who he believes did not properly address Hallmark’s concerns.
“The student’s allegations are concerning,” said Paxton. “Texans must be reassured that their children are not being subjected to such indoctrination.”