Cypress College failed to be 'anti-racist' in aftermath of viral exchange over police, faculty union says
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Cypress College in California failed to adequately respond to a viral interaction between an adjunct professor and a student about police, the school's faculty union said.
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A female professor whom the university has not named interrupted a student giving a presentation April 28 about "cancel culture," which led to an argument about law enforcement.
"I think cops are heroes. They have to have a difficult job," the student said, according to the Orange County Register.
The professor interjected: "All of them?"
"I'd say a good majority of them. You have bad people in every business and every," the student responded, before being cut off again.
Two days after the class, April 30, the university issued a statement saying the professor had taken a leave of absence and will likely not return in the fall.
"Cypress College takes great pride in fostering a learning environment for students where ideas and opinions are exchanged as a vital piece of the educational journey," said Marc Posner, director of campus communication, in a statement. "Our community fully embraces this culture; students often defend one another's rights to express themselves freely, even when opinions differ. Any efforts to suppress free and respectful expression on our campus will not be tolerated."
"The adjunct professor will be taking a leave of absence for the duration of her assignment at Cypress College," he added. "This was her first course at Cypress and she had previously indicated her intention to not return in the fall."
The faculty union sent a letter on May 3 describing its disappointment with the university's response to the interaction.
The statement from the university "was not supportive enough of our faculty," and the "choice of language and the information included has left some of our members uncertain and confused," faculty union members said.
"The failure to issue a clear and strong statement of support for faculty under the existing circumstances is a failure to be anti-racist," they added.
The issue of police conduct and rules of engagement have been in the spotlight since the death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020. Floyd, a black man, was unarmed when he was killed while officers tried to apprehend him. One former officer, Derek Chauvin, was convicted for Floyd's murder, while the others are awaiting trial.
His death sparked nationwide protests and raised questions about law enforcement's use-of-force rules and how officers treat minorities.
Tags:News, College, California, Teacher, Police
Original Author:Mike Brest
Original Location:Cypress College failed to be 'anti-racist' in aftermath of viral exchange over police, faculty union says
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Is the faculty at this college nuts, or what?