What the bleep? LSU professor fired for using profanity suing for damages

Teresa Buchanan was a tenured LSU education professor who was terminated for using vulgar language in the classroom. She is suing the university for monetary damages and to be reinstated.

Buchanan is 50-years-old and worked for LSU for 20 years, specializing in early childhood education and training elementary school teachers. After an 18-month investigation by the university, she was terminated allegedly to protect students.

A faculty review committee claimed Buchanan created a ‘hostile learning environment’, citing instances of her having used profanity in front of students and making jokes of a sexual nature. The committee said she was terminated for “documented evidence of a history of inappropriate behavior that included verbal abuse, intimidation and harassment of our students.”

One of the plaintiff’s attorneys described her termination as an extreme overreaction and argues that her free speech and due process rights were violated. Buchanan’s suit is sponsored by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education.

The American Association of University Professors reviewed the case and concluded that Buchanan was fired for having run-of-the-mill language and her conduct is protected by principles of academic freedom.