A Texas State University professor was fired after a viral video showed him appearing to endorse political violence during an online socialism conference.
University President Kelly Damphousse said history professor Tom Alter was terminated following a review that found his behavior “amounted to serious professional and personal misconduct,” according to the San Antonio Express-News. (RELATED: Multiple HBCUs Lift Lockdowns Hours After Alleged Threats Made Against Schools)
“Conduct that advocates for inciting violence is directly contrary to the values of Texas State University. I cannot and will not tolerate such behavior,” Damphousse wrote in a statement, according to the outlet.
After reviewing statements made by a @txst professor at a recent conference, I determined that he engaged in serious professional misconduct. Advocating for violence is contrary to TXST values. I cannot tolerate such behavior. Effective immediately, his employment is terminated.
— 𝙺𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝙳𝚊𝚖𝚙𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚜𝚜𝚎 (@kdamp) September 10, 2025
In the clip, Alter called the U.S. government “the most bloodthirsty, profit-driven mad organization in the history of the world” and suggested revolution was necessary.
“Without 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? A revolutionary party needs a revolutionary situation for the working class to win power,” he said.
Tom Alter is a faculty member at Texas State University and a member of the Texas State Employees Union.
On September 7, Tom called for the overthrow of the “bloodthirsty” US Government.
This clip is from my exclusive coverage of the Revolutionary Socialism Conference. pic.twitter.com/QHZyGMnneg
— Karlyn Borysenko, anti-communist cult leader (@DrKarlynB) September 8, 2025
Alter spoke Sept. 7 at the online Revolutionary Socialism Conference, according to the New York Post. He is listed as a member of Socialist Horizon, a revolutionary socialist group with chapters in several cities, including San Marcos, Texas.
Alter joined Texas State University as a lecturer in 2017 and became an assistant professor in 2019, according to San Antonio Express-News. His biography said he specialized in protest movements, capitalism, labor and race “specializes in the study of protest movements, capitalism, labor, and race through a transnational lens,” the Austin American-Statesman noted. His faculty page was removed from the university’s website following his firing.
Alter’s firing follows another high-profile case in Texas. On Tuesday, Texas A&M University dismissed a professor after backlash over “her instruction on introducing LGBTQ topics to minors in a children’s literature class,” according to Texas Scorecard.