Texas State University President Kelly Damphousse fired tenured Professor Tom Alter for engaging in protected political speech as a private citizen, in a move that the Committee to Defend Tom Alter has described as a direct assault on academic freedom and the First Amendment rights to freedom of speech, association, and assembly. In this segment, Frann Michel talks with Bill Mullen, Emeritus Professor of American Studies at Purdue University and chair of the Committee to Defend Tom Alter, a coalition of faculty, students, staff, union members, and community supporters dedicated to protecting academic freedom and free speech rights. They discuss what's happened so far, what's distinctive as well as representative about this case, how supporters of free speech and academic freedom have organized in response, and what concerned listeners can do.
Timeline of Events
• September 7: Alter speaks at Revolutionary Socialism Conference as private citizen
• September 8: self-proclaimed fascist Karlyn Borysenko posts manipulated videos demanding Alter's firing
• September 10: Texas State terminates Alter without due process
• September 26: Court orders proper procedures
• October 13: Texas State President Damphousse terminates Alter
• November 10: a subcommittee of the Texas State Board of Regents meets for preliminary review of Alter's case for appeal.
• November 20 and 21: Texas State Board of Regents meets to rule on Alter's appeal.
The Committee to Defend Tom Alter calls on supporters to take immediate action:
Contact President Damphousse to condemn this unconstitutional termination: president@txstate.edu, 512-245-2121 (wait through several minutes of muzak to speak with someone)
Write, call, sign the petition at https://defendtomalter.org/
Donate to the legal defense fund at https://defendtomalter.org/
Share on social media: #DefendTomAlter #FirstAmendmentTXST
Image: Two photos, one of Tom Alter (a middle-aged white man, smiling, wearing a red t-shirt and holding a dog on his lap), and one of a young person standing outside and holding a hand-lettered sign saying "Justice for Dr. Alter." Text: Defend Tom Alter! Defend Free Speech! Used with permission of the Committee to Defend Tom Alter.