On September 10, 2025, Texas State University (TSU) fired Thomas Alter, a tenured associate professor of history, for remarks that he made during a virtual conference on “revolutionary socialism.”
During the conference, which was held on September 5-6, 2025, Alter gave an 18-minute speech. During the speech, he critiqued capitalism and spoke approvingly of teachers union strikes,Arab Spring protests, and Black Lives Matter protests, among other primarily nonviolent movements. He criticized the Democratic Party and socialist groups as insufficient and not strongly enough rooted in the working class. He argued for the need to organize a “revolutionary socialist party.”He stated “Without [such an] organization, how can anyone expect to overthrow the most bloodthirsty, profit-driven, mad organization in the history of the world: that of the U.S. government?”
On September 8, self-described independent journalist, Karlyn Borysenko, posted video clips of Alter’s speech on X, drawing attention to Alter’s use of the word “overthrow.” On September 10, TSU president Kelly Damphousse announced that after a “thorough review” of the video recordings, it was clear that Alter’s “actions amounted to serious professional and personal misconduct.” Damphousse accused Alter of inciting violence and stated that Alter’s employment would be terminated immediately. According to TSU policies, the university may dismiss faculty members for good cause upon written notice that includes the opportunity for a hearing. These procedures were apparently not followed in Alter’s case.
Scholars at Risk is concerned about a university firing a faculty member for the content of remarks delivered at a conference. SAR is additionally concerned that this disciplinary action was taken without due process and in apparent acquiescence to in response to pressure from outside the university. University leaders have a responsibility to protect academic freedom; to refrain from disciplinary retaliatory actions that punish, restrict, or chill academic expression; and to resist outside interference into the content of teaching and research. When university leaders fail to meet these responsibilities, they not only harm the immediate victims, they undermine academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and democratic society generally.
UPDATE 9/29/25: On September 25, 2025, a South Dakota district court judge responded to a lawsuit filed by Alter by granting him a temporary restraining order, ruling that TSU reinstate him. TSU announced that Alter would be reinstated without pay and barred from teaching classes while the university reviewed the case using its standard investigatory processes.
UPDATE 10/14/25: On October 13, 2025, a TSU spokesperson announced that Alter had been fired again following a due process hearing.
Sources:
https://www.chronicle.com/article/a-tenured-professor-spoke-hypothetically-about-overthrowing-the-government-he-was-fired-3-days-later
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2025/09/12/texas-state-fires-professor-accused-inciting-violence
https://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/10/texas-state-university-professor-fired/
https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/texas-state-professor-firing-21049010.php
https://www.president.txst.edu/communications/statement-september-10-2025.html
https://www.chronicle.com/article/a-tenured-texas-state-professor-was-fired-without-a-hearing-now-hell-get-one