Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced on Thursday that his office is investigating the University of North Texas for failing to “ward off left-wing violence” in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s death last month.
Paxton informed the public university of the investigation in a new letter, following up on his prior request for the school to look into an incident involving students’ celebration of Kirk’s assassination and their harassment of a classmate who defended the conservative activist. Paxton says that although the student defending Kirk wasn’t the aggressor, she was the one who was told to leave class.
The Republican attorney general is now taking action, alleging UNT has not taken disciplinary action against the students mocking Kirk’s death. He further argues that UNT is engaging in viewpoint discrimination by failing to protect the pro-Kirk student.
“Following her complaint, the student was the subject of threats to her safety,” Paxton wrote. “She brought these concerns to Associate Dean Kacey Sebeniecher, who told the student that she could either drop the class or transfer, despite the fact that she was the victim of such threats rather than the aggressor.”
Paxton says UNT has also seen “other radical leftist activity” on campus, including an incident in which a student shredded materials from the university’s Turning Point USA chapter.
Additionally, two student groups that Paxton says are “radical leftist groups” are reportedly promoting violent rhetoric on campus with Marxist and anti-fascist propaganda. The groups are the Denton Student Union, a Marxist chapter of the Revolutionary Student Union, and the American Iron Front, an antifa-aligned group calling for “direct action” against “anti-democracy groups.”
“The lack of disciplinary action against those who celebrated the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the university reluctance to adequately protect the brave student who stood against her classmates to defend the value of life, the attack on the TPUSA chapter’s table on campus, and the reported radical left organizations’ activities at UNT demonstrate that the university is not doing enough to ward off left-wing violence,” the letter states.
Paxton implored UNT to expel the students who celebrated Kirk’s death as the investigation started.
“I have directed my office to officially launch an investigation into the university’s approach to left-wing violence on campus in general. Groups that promote violence cannot be allowed at Texas universities, and I will pursue every legal option to stop them,” he concluded.
The Washington Examiner contacted the university for comment regarding the state attorney general’s investigation.
In a previously provided statement, UNT President Harrison Keller said the university takes allegations of misconduct “very seriously” and indicated it would consider taking disciplinary action.
“We are currently conducting a thorough review of recent actions by a few of our community members,” Keller added. “I am committed to ensuring UNT provides a safe learning and working environment for all of our UNT students and our community.”
In the past month, some Texas colleges and universities have caved to pressure from Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) by expelling students who mocked the late TPUSA cofounder in viral footage.
This is the latest move that Paxton has taken in response to Kirk’s death. Earlier this month, the attorney general authorized undercover investigations to infiltrate “leftist terror cells” in Texas.
PAXTON CALLS OUT TEXAS UNIVERSITY FOR PUNISHING STUDENT WHO DENOUNCED KIRK ASSASSINATION
A Republican state lawmaker thanked Paxton for investigating UNT’s handling of reported left-wing incidents in recent weeks.
“[UNT] has been completely radio silent on this issue, and taxpayers expect clear and decisive action to be taken by UNT on this matter,” Republican state Rep. Andy Hopper wrote on X. “Nearly one month ago, my office joined other Denton County reps to demand for swift consequences to the egregious actions taken by UNT students in the wake of the assassination of Charlie Kirk. We are still waiting.”
