University of North Texas.

The University of North Texas assistant general counsel who resigned last week after using a racial slur during a free speech discussion on campus says she stepped down to prevent two of the school's top lawyers from being fired. 

Caitlin Sewell told Corporate Counsel that UNT "leadership" notified the school's former general counsel and vice chancellor, Nancy Footer, who now serves as of counsel in the GC's office, that Sewell's "employment could not continue."

"Ms. Footer and Renaldo Stowers, senior associate general counsel, refused to terminate me or ask for my resignation," Sewell wrote in a statement late Tuesday night. "I resigned to prevent Ms. Footer and Mr. Stowers from being terminated."

She added, "I hope my experience will draw attention to the truth that the value of education is reason enough for scrupulous protection of free speech."

Footer and Stowers did not respond to requests for comment. Attempts to speak with UNT president Neal Smatresk and chancellor Lesa Roe also were unsuccessful.  

UNT spokesman Paul Corliss wrote in an email Wednesday that the school would not comment beyond a joint statement that Smatresk and Roe issued Nov. 8, less than 24 hours after the controversy erupted. 

"While Ms. Sewell was trying to make a point about First Amendment speech, the references used are never condoned in our community, which prides itself on our diversity and caring nature," they stated. "This morning, Ms. Sewell has submitted her resignation effective immediately." 

While standing on stage during an event Nov. 7 called "When Hate Comes to Campus," Sewell, who is white, told students in attendance that "it's impossible to talk about the First Amendment without saying horrible things." 

Then, according to an audio recording posted on Twitter, she added, "Um, you know, 'You're just a dumb n—r and I hate you.' That alone, that's protected speech." In a video from the event posted on Twitter, Sewell attempts to apologize. 

"I did not mean to, by any means, offend anyone. I wish I had censored that word. It came out without thought … I literally have never said that word in a public setting before and I was trying to be real," she said, before being interrupted by shouting students. 

In her statement to Corporate Counsel, Sewell wrote that she wanted to "reiterate that I deeply regret the hurt my use of the racial epithet caused during the panel discussion at UNT about free speech on campus. After using it as an example of protected speech, I sensed the audience's reaction and decided to limit my use of evocative words during the rest of my discussion, including curse words."

She added she had used the N-word "in my professional career as an attorney. I have never used it in public or private in my personal life. I wish I had made that clear during my apology to the students."

Sewell declined to answer follow-up questions after sending her statement. 

She joined UNT in 2017, after leaving Houston law firm Rogers, Morris & Grover, where she'd practiced employment law following a stint as a Texas state prosecutor. 

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Assistant General Counsel for University of North Texas Faces Backlash Over Racial Slur