Tarleton State University reinstates popular instructor days after audio recording becomes public.
Ted Roberts is keeping his job as an instructor at Tarleton State.
The university has reversed its decision to terminate the popular senior instructor who taught ROTC cadets in the history department for the past 12 years.
Roberts said he received a call on Saturday that the university was prepared to offer him a new contract as a senior instructor with the College of Leadership and Military Science.
The offer reportedly includes the same pay and title as his previous contract.
He signed the offer late Saturday night and received confirmation Wednesday that it had been finalized; he will return to the classroom on Sept. 1.
Following his reinstatement, Roberts sent a letter to Beneath the Surface News thanking his supporters.
You can read the letter in its entirety at the bottom of this report.
THE BACK STORY
In April, Roberts spoke up about concerns over $400 parking fees for faculty and staff during a “listening session” with Tarleton president Dr. James Hurley.
He was fired two weeks later for allegedly showing “intolerable” behavior toward the president.
Click here to read the original story.
The backlash was swift.
Dozens of Roberts’ colleagues who attended the meeting and witnessed the exchange said it was tense, but respectful. Many believed the administration’s decision to not renew Roberts’ contract was retaliatory.
Tarleton provost Dr. Diane Stearns appeared to dig in her heels last week when she sent a letter to the senate faculty stating that Roberts exhibited “unprofessional behavior” and used “defamatory” words when speaking to Dr. Hurley.
She clearly didn’t know there was a recording of the exchange, which proved none of that was true.
That recording, obtained and published by Beneath the Surface News, was listened to more than 100,000 times.
Roberts cleaned out his office and turned in his keys and credentials to Tarleton last Friday.
He said he was physically sick when he left campus for what he thought was the final time as an instructor.
In a twist of irony, the university refunded Roberts $66 for parking.
THE FINAL WORD FROM TED ROBERTS
Dear friends,
Many of you know what it is like to suddenly lose your livelihood and wonder how you will be able to take care of your family. The loneliness can be overwhelming and the frustration unbearable, but you saved me.
Words cannot adequately express my profound sense of gratitude and thanks for all of you who read my story and commented, then posted, and reposted again.
Leading the charge were so many of my former students, but also proud alums, former colleagues, other veterans, and plain good old Americans who will instinctively stand up against injustice.
It often moved me to tears to read the genuine words of support so many of you sent. I am indebted to Nell Gluckman of the Chronicle of Higher Education for originally breaking the story.
Her story, also picked up by the Texas Tribune, brought words of encouragement from colleagues as far away as Fairfield University, NYU, Harvard and the American Historical Association.
But I am also tremendously thankful for Sara Vanden Berge at Beneath the Surface who brought my story home to local readership.
Even though Beneath the Surface is right here in Stephenville, USA, Sara’s story reached readers as far away as South Korea and Bahrain. How is that for local?
To sum all this up, I just want you to know that your voice was powerful, and for that I will be forever grateful. - Ted Roberts
