Fired music professor sues UNI

University of Northern Iowa music professor Bradley T. Barrett was fired in December after a former high school student of his sued him for alleged sexual abuse.

Now Barrett is suing UNI and the Iowa Board of Regents alleging discrimination, harassment and breach of contact.

In a suit filed in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids, Barrett's attorney, David Dutton of Waterloo, said the former professor was terminated because of his sexual orientation following a UNI investigation that wasn't conducted according to any university procedure and found no sexual misconduct.

UNI officials declined to comment on the lawsuit and said the Iowa Attorney General's Office would be handling the legal matter. Officials confirmed that Barrett's last day on the job was Dec. 1 but declined to release other details.

Barrett, 50, taught junior high and high school music at the Logan-Rogersville School District in Missouri in the 1990s, and he was hired by UNI in 2002. In February 2009, he was promoted associate professor.

Then in April 2009, a former student from the Missouri school filed a suit against Barrett and the school district alleging he was sexually abused by the instructor between 1992 and 1995.

The student, Adam Walker, now 31, also hosted a press conference outside UNI to announce the legal action.

Walker's suit is still pending in U.S. District Court of Missouri.

UNI swiftly placed Barrett on administrative leave.

Barrett filed a complaint with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission in August, and he was terminated Dec. 1, according to court records.

He appealed his firing through university procedures, but the matter is still pending.

In records submitted as part of the suit, Barrett said Walker's accusations are “false.” He said he was disturbed by the university investigation that inquired about his sexuality and his current sexual partners.