"A self-described "fascist" YouTuber infiltrated an online socialism conference where Alter gave a talk, spliced recorded clips together and circulated the footage online, where it got the attention of Republican politicians in Texas. Alter, who was tenured and attended the conference in a personal capacity, learned he was fired via a Facebook post from Texas State president Kelly Damphousse, who accused him of "inciting violence.""
"What started out as an impromptu effort to support Alter has turned into a coordinated movement to protect academic freedom on college campuses and defend anyone unfairly punished for their political views. The CUNY gathering marked the third-to-last stop on Alter's 2026 Defend Free Speech Tour, designed to be part speaking events and part community organizing meetings."
Tom Alter, a former Texas State University history professor, was terminated in September after speaking at an online socialism conference. A far-right YouTuber infiltrated the conference, selectively edited Alter's remarks about anarchist organizing tactics, and circulated the footage to Republican politicians. Texas State President Kelly Damphousse fired the tenured professor via Facebook, claiming he incited violence. Alter's dismissal sparked a broader movement supporting academic freedom. His 2026 Defend Free Speech Tour, which stopped at CUNY's Graduate Center, aims to mobilize students, faculty, and staff through speaking events and community organizing. The movement also advocates for four adjunct professors fired from Brooklyn College for pro-Palestinian activism, representing coordinated efforts to protect educators from punishment based on political views.
Read at Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]