State Settles $485K Lawsuit with Biologist Fired Over Social Media Post
Florida agrees to pay former wildlife biologist $485,000 after firing her over a satirical social media post about Charlie Kirk made on her personal time.
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA — The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission agreed Thursday to pay $485,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by a former state biologist who was terminated after reposting a social media statement critical of the late Charlie Kirk.
FWC Executive Director Roger Young approved the settlement with former biologist Brittney Brown, whose federal lawsuit was scheduled for trial in June. Brown was fired in September following her repost of a satirical message about Kirk’s death on her private Instagram account.
The Controversial Social Media Post
The incident began when Brown shared a parody post on Instagram that read: “The whales are deeply saddened to learn of the shooting of charlie kirk, haha just kidding, they care exactly as much as charlie kirk cared about children being shot in their classrooms, which is to say, not at all.”
Brown made the social media repost outside of her state office and while off the clock. The post eventually attracted attention that led to her termination by Melissa Tucker, an FWC division director, acting on orders from Executive Director Young.
Legal Claims and Settlement Terms
In her original lawsuit filing, Brown alleged retaliation and viewpoint discrimination that violated her First Amendment right to free speech. She was employed as a biological scientist studying shorebirds and seabirds at the Tyndall Air Force Base Critical Wildlife Area near Panama City.
Under the settlement agreement, Brown will receive $275,000, which includes $40,000 in back wages. An additional $210,000 covers attorneys’ fees and costs associated with the legal proceedings.
Brown’s Response to Settlement
“All I wanted was my job back,” Brown said in a news release following the settlement announcement.
She criticized the agency’s leadership in her statement, saying, “I see no leaders amongst FWC ‘leadership,’ but that’s to be expected when a state agency becomes the governor’s personal puppet show. The ‘Free State of Florida’ only provides First Amendment protections to those in favor with the current administration, while the rest of us are expected to fall in line or risk losing our livelihoods.”
Court records indicate that FWC employee Melissa Tucker had previously been sanctioned by the court for her handling of Brown’s termination. The case represents ongoing tensions between state employees’ free speech rights and administrative policies regarding social media conduct.
The settlement resolves the federal lawsuit that Brown filed in September, avoiding what would have been a closely watched trial over government employees’ First Amendment protections in Florida.
