TSU Professor Arrested at Meeting:Alleges Violation of Whistleblower Laws
In late August 2012, a Tennessee State University English professor and University president tangled in a clash that resulted in the professor’s arrest and may end up in a Tennessee whistleblower lawsuit.
It all started when Jane Davis, English professor and chairwoman of the Faculty Senate, spoke up alleging that the TSU administrators were guilty of changing the grades of 270 students.
Davis says that these students received grades of “incomplete” last summer in basic math courses because they never completed online tutoring, a course requirement. Then, at the end of the 2011 fall semester, she alleges that the university waived the tutoring requirement and changed the grades, violating school policy.
At a meeting of the faculty senate in August 2012, interim president, Portia Shields, had Davis arrested and taken out of the meeting in handcuffs. The remaining members then voted her out.
According to The Tennessean report on the incident, Davis entered the meeting knowing that Shields planned to retaliate against her for blowing the whistle on the grade-changing incident. So Davis entered the meeting talking and didn’t stop, saying, “I know that if I let her [Shields] open her mouth, that would be the end.”
And it was the end. Campus police were called into the meeting, and Davis was forcibly removed after being told repeatedly to leave. She has hired an attorney to represent her in the misdemeanor charges against her.
In addition, Davis claims that Shields’ actions against her violated Tennessee’s whistleblower law, a law that is designed to protect any state employee who steps up and reports alleged wrongdoing.
Since graduating magna cum laude in 2005 from the University of Memphis School of Law, Thomas has helped make a difference in the lives of victims of serious personal injury, wrongful death, and professional negligence. Thomas has extensive trial experience in both state and federal court. Among other victories in the courtroom, Thomas obtained several impressive jury verdicts and settlements
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