Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story stated that Buchanan was dismissed by a panel of administrators. This was corrected to show that she was dismissed by a panel of faculty members. 
The LSU System Board of Supervisors meeting in Alexandria on June 19 marked the end of elementary education associate professor Teresa Buchanan’s 20-year career teaching at the University. The Board upheld a decision by President F. King Alexander to terminate her employment on charges that she sexually harassed students and violated the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Since she came to the University in 1995, Buchanan has been decorated by administrators and outside organizations as an effective educator and skilled researcher. She has developed admired curriculums and inspired University students, evidenced by a wealth of support on her social media websites.
Buchanan achieved tenure in 2002 and has taught freshmen, honors college students, graduate students and her specialty — in-school elementary education instruction. She “received only satisfactory reviews” in her 20 years at the University, and was given “no reprimands, no counseling, no opportunity to remediate,” according to the statement she gave to the Board on Friday.
Buchanan first learned of charges against her in December 2013 when, according to her, Human Sciences and Education Dean Damon Andrew informed her she would not be teaching the following semester because of allegations made against her by a student. For the last 18 months, “my dean would not meet with me and told my chair[person] not to speak with me.” Buchanan said. She said was told to “research” but that her superiors were vague and unreachable.
Buchanan was made aware of student complaints that she had used profanity or sexist language, transgressions she said she believes were minor and protected by her right to freedom of speech in an academic context. She also said she was not notified of any complaints until the time of the hearing and therefore did not have a chance to remedy the issues students had with her.
Because Buchanan was tenured, her dismissal required a hearing in front of a panel of five faculty members, which according to Buchanan, heard 11 hours of testimony. Many colleagues and former students voiced their support of Buchanan to the committee which, she said, “ruled there were no grounds for dismissal.”
Buchanan said Alexander overruled the committee’s decision, a move that breaks with University code and diminishes the basic value of tenure. “This sets a precedent that is just appalling,” Buchanan said in an interview, “Tenure does not mean anything to LSU.”
University administrators have declined to comment on the case. University Media Relations Director Ernie Ballard cited inability to “comment on personnel matters or possible litigation.” Thomas Skinner, general counsel to the Board of Supervisors, confirmed that Buchanan attended and spoke at the Board’s meeting Friday, but he added that commenting on the case is particularly awkward because Buchanan displayed her intention to bring the University to court if it upheld her dismissal.
Buchanan said she “absolutely intendeds … to sue” the University for what she believes is wrongful termination and a violation of her First Amendment right to free speech.