U.S. Rep. Brad Finstad is calling for the resignation of Kevin Parsneau, a political science professor at Minnesota State University-Mankato, following the professor’s controversial social media comments that appeared to support the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
In a letter addressed to Minnesota State University President Edward Inch, Finstad condemned Parsneau’s remarks, calling them “reprehensible” and stating that such behavior is “acutely unacceptable” for someone in academia.
“Violence of any kind must be condemned in the strongest terms,” Finstad wrote. “It is unacceptable that this professor is provided with a platform to be in the presence of students or involved in academia in any form. I call on Minnesota State University, Mankato, to demand this professor’s immediate resignation.”
The recent comments made on social media by Prof. Parsneau are completely unacceptable. Violent rhetoric, especially from those within our institutions of higher education, is reprehensible, which is why I am calling on @MNSUMankato to demand his immediate resignation. pic.twitter.com/4c6NzxFuCJ
— Congressman Brad Finstad (@RepFinstad) December 11, 2024
Parsneau says he hoped Brian Thompson’s murderer was a ‘serial killer’
Finstad’s call comes after Parsneau responded to a Facebook post that asked, “How long do we really need to look for Brian Thompson’s killer? Is today good enough? Or do they need to look tomorrow?” with the comment, “It’s going to be disappointing if he’s a one-off killer instead of a serial killer.”
Parsneau previously told Alpha News that his “comment was meant to reflect the tone of the question posted by a friend on social media. It was not intended to advocate ending the investigation or violence.”
According to OpenPayrolls and Open the Books, Parsneau received $120,706 in total pay in 2023.
Parsneau claims his students were ‘laughing’ about Brian Thompson’s murder
Despite Finstad’s demand that he be fired, Parsneau appeared to double down on his inflammatory comments in a subsequent Facebook post, alleging that his students at MNSU-Mankato also joked about the CEO’s death.
In response to a Facebook comment criticizing him for “celebrating” Thompson’s assassination, Parsneau wrote, “You should have heard the jokes those innocent young people had about him. This week they are laughing at the losers who are upset about the jokes.”
University responds
President Inch sent out a campus-wide email Wednesday about the controversy surrounding Parsneau. In it, Inch did not say that Parsneau would be terminated, citing his First Amendment rights.
“I write regarding a post made by one of our professors that has gained media attention and angered some of our University constituents. This comment was made on the faculty member’s personal Facebook account and was not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the University. I want to make it clear that I denounce all messages that condone violence of any kind,” stated Inch.
“Of course, as US citizens and part of a public institution of higher education, we respect the rights and privileges afforded by the Constitution, including the First Amendment rights protecting the freedom of speech. However, we live in an era where inflammatory online comments can spark adverse reactions against us personally or as an institution. While the president is the University’s official spokesperson, in the public’s eyes, we all represent our University. It is a responsibility we should all take seriously,” Inch added.
