PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — In her first TV interview since being placed on administrative leave, FAU Professor Dr. Karen Leader is breaking her silence — in an exclusive sit down with WPTV’s Michael Hoffman.
Leader was the first FAU professor to face backlash for sharing posts on X after the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Since then, two other professors at the school have also been put on leave for their social media posts in the wake of Kirk’s assassination.
WATCH: Dr. Karen Leader speaks to WPTV
Dr. Leader, an associate professor of art history, confirmed to Hoffman she was the professor referenced in the university’s announcement. The school said in part, “Our focus remains on our academic community’s responsibility to promote civil discourse, conduct healthy debate, and treat one another with respect.”
“I wanted to have a chance to speak to my community and have them see what I'm trying to say,” Leader said.
Leader said she has received death threats and had her home and work addresses leaked online. She told Hoffman this was the first time she left her home in nearly a week.
“I don't know if I'll go right back home after this and then stay there for another five days,” she said.
WATCH: 'That's what so striking to me, the violence'
Leader showed Hoffman the posts she shared on X that called Kirk “racist, transphobic, homophobic and more.” In those posts, she added the words, “This was Charlie Kirk.”
She said she has since deleted a post alleging Kirk used a racial slur after finding it was not true, but left the other posts up, saying she wanted to start a discourse about what she called the “whitewashing of a controversial figure.”
“What I did is posted or reposted a lot of content that offered proof that he had said vile things and targeted populations and demonstrated his bigotry, and I was mostly reposting evidence,” Leader said.
Hoffman asked how she she responds to people saying the posts were out context.
“Yeah. I would say that if you have a preponderance of evidence, one thing taken out of context does not cancel out the preponderance of evidence. The concerted effort to present him as moderate, as uncontroversial, as just wanting to ask questions, just wanting to have conversations. That's not who he was.”
WATCH: Dr. Leader says she is open to pursuing lawsuit to defend free speech
But the discipline from FAU does not appear to fall along partisan lines. Two other professors, Dr. Kate Polak and Dr. Rebel Cole, were also placed on leave for social media posts following Kirk’s assassination. One, Dr. Cole, was placed on leave for conservative leaning posts.
Hoffman reached out to both for interviews. Dr. Cole declined, and Dr. Polak has not responded.
Leader said she believes all three professors now share some common ground.
“Constitutionally, we're on the same side, and so we have a collective responsibility to, you know, force our university to follow the law,” said Leader. And so if a lawsuit is the way we have to do that, I certainly would.”
WATCH: Dr. Leader on Kirk and the public university system
Leader also expressed confidence she will return to the classroom, and left this message for students and the FAU community.
“Last thing I want to say is to my students that I'm sorry,” said Leader. “To all my students past, present, to FAU alumni, to FAU parents, what's happening is devaluing their degree, and that's happening all over the state.”
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