Professor Had Black Student Escorted From Class By Police For Having Her Feet Up
A San Antonio professor has been removed from her class for the remainder of the semester after ousting a black student for putting up her feet
Just two days after a professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio called the police on a black student for putting her feet up in class, the administration has announced that the teacher will not continue teaching her class for the remainder of the semester — and that further consequences may come after an investigation into the incident is concluded.
According to an account written by other members of the class, the professor in question, Anita Moss, asked the student to put her feet down in a previous class, and the student complied. The professor stopped the lecture to call the class uncivil, and ended lecture early. At the next class, the professor showed up late, handed out a copy of the school’s student conduct guidelines, and demanded that the student leave, as she was dropping her from the class. The student did not leave, and the professor called the campus police, who then removed her.
Several students took video of the incident, and one, Apurva Rawal, posted it on Twitter, stating, “This professor stopped class entirely and stepped out to call the police just because one student had her feet up on a seat in front of her. Mind you she wasn’t talking or interrupting lecture.”
He continued:
“The class before this professor went on a whole tirade about how uncivil we all were because a few students were on their phone or not paying attention, cutting lecture time for the rest of us because her ego was bruised. As upset as I am that my professor decided to throw a temper tantrum the lecture before an exam and cancel class, I’m even more outraged that she would decide to single out and humiliate a student just to flex her authority in a destructive manner.”
“I chose to attend this university because of it’s welcoming and inclusive atmosphere,” he finished, “and today’s events genuinely make me concerned for not only my fellow students, but any future roadrunners that may choose to attend this institution in the future.”
The student who was removed from the class shared the video on Twitter with a comment: “This is me in Anita Moss’ 2053 Bio classroom. Upon entering class I was told I needed to leave or would be escorted out by officers, I never disobeyed the student code of conduct. Not once. A police report is being filed atm, this is just the beginning. Thanks for your support!”
The next day, the school released a statement regarding the video, saying that they were concerned by the content of the video and that they had immediately launched an investigation into the incident. The statement also said that the student and professor had been interviewed, the professor was removed from the class for the week, and the student had “multiple options” for continuing her biology class until the investigation was complete.
UTSA President Taylor Eighmy also released a statement the same day, explaining that the incident would be investigated by the Office of Equal Opportunity Services as a discrimination case. He also said that the teacher would not be in class for the rest of the semester, and another professor would step in to teach the class.
“The student involved in the incident has been welcomed back to class and offered support services,” he said in a written statement. “Once the two investigations are complete next week, appropriate administrative action will be determined.”
“This concerns me greatly, and it’s incumbent upon us as an institution to face this head-on,” he said. “It’s something that we need to address immediately as a university community.”
This is the latest in a string of incidents that have been filmed across the country of people of color being profiled, discriminated against, or treated unfairly based on their race. Hopefully, the more these people are named and shamed (and fired from their jobs) the less it will happen.
