A lecturer at Texas State University has ceased teaching following revelations of explicit messages exchanged online. Among these messages was a troubling comment expressing a desire for a woman to be deported.
The individual in question has been identified as Bret Byron. Recently, he sent messages to Dr. Dhivya Srinivasa, a plastic surgeon with practices in both Los Angeles and Austin, who has garnered significant attention on social media for her political insights and lifestyle content.
Dr. Srinivasa, who is accustomed to receiving aggressive remarks online, initially dismissed the messages she received. “I usually delete, block, and move on,” she noted. However, Byron’s approach changed that when he reached out to her via Facebook Messenger. She later shared this interaction on her Instagram account, highlighting Byron’s use of derogatory language and his statement, “I hope Kristi Noem deports you.”
What set this incident apart from others was the identifiable nature of the sender’s profile. “When there’s a face to the name, Google is easy. You can just type in somebody’s name, and I was sort of shocked,” Dr. Srinivasa remarked upon discovering Byron’s affiliation with Texas State University.
After confirming Byron’s position as a lecturer at the university, she took action by notifying the institution. “I updated my Instagram caption to say, ‘Hey, Texas State University sounds like it might be one of your professors or your lecturers,'” she explained.
Texas State University responded swiftly to the social media post, indicating that they were investigating the matter and would take appropriate measures. Within 48 hours, the university announced that Byron would no longer be teaching classes.
Byron served as a lecturer and program faculty member in the Department of Organization, Workforce, and Leadership Studies, but his faculty page has since been removed from the university’s website.
Dr. Srinivasa expressed disappointment but not surprise regarding the incident, stating, “What we have learned is that people with power, men with power, walk amongst us, and to think that certain postings are above and beyond people who have these tendencies, we cannot be that naive.”
She encouraged others with the capacity to speak out to do so, emphasizing the importance of advocacy for those who may not have a voice. “If you have the position to speak out, I think more of us should be doing that, especially if we can be voices for those that can’t speak up,” she urged.
Texas State University confirmed that Bret Byron is no longer teaching classes, although the university has not clarified his current employment status.
