A college professor called the police on a student who allegedly put her feet up on a chair

A university is conducting two investigations after a teacher called the police on a student who allegedly put her feet up on a chair.

On Monday, Taylor Eighmy, the president of the University of Texas at San Antonio posted an announcement on the school website. “Today we had an incident where one of our African American students was escorted from a biology class by members of UTSA’s police department at the request of a faculty member,” she wrote. “While the facts aren’t fully known regarding today’s incident, our Office of Equal Opportunity Services is already conducting an investigation into possible discrimination. In addition, an inquiry regarding the academic management of the classroom is being conducted by Interim Dean of the College of Sciences Howard Grimes.”

“Beyond this particular incident, I am very much aware that the circumstance represents another example of the work we need to do as an institution around issues of inclusivity and supporting our students of color,” she wrote.

A school spokesperson tells Yahoo Lifestyle, “Right now we have two investigations underway and the outcome of those will help us make informed comments. Until then, the president again reached out to the campus community yesterday evening to provide them with the latest info we have available.”

On Monday, Twitter user Apurva Rawal shared a clip of three police officers entering Professor Anita Moss’s biology lecture and escorting the student from the auditorium. “So this happened today in class, a girl had her feet up and the professor called the police after calling our class uncivil,” he tweeted.

“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 tweeted. “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.”

Rawal wrote, “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 wrote, “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.”

Moss did not return Yahoo Lifestyle’s request for comment.

A Twitter user named @FavoritePaigeee shared Rawal’s tweet, identifying herself as the video’s subject. “This is me in Anita Moss’ 2053 Bio classroom,” she tweeted. “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!”

Rawal and @FavoritePaigeee did not respond to Yahoo Lifestyle’s requests for comment.

Adding to the outraged feedback on social media, Martina McGhee, a doctoral candidate and teaching fellow at the university, tweeted that while she was inspired by some recent hires, “We still have a faculty problem here at #UTSA I regularly hear about overt racism our black students are subjected to by faculty.”

McGhee then wrote, “Just yesterday a student told me how one of her professors was making derogatory jokes about Black women in class.”

On Monday, the University of Texas at San Antonio tweeted, “We are aware of this situation and are working closely with the student and Department of Biology to better understand what happened today.”

Kimberly Andrews Espy, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, also tweeted Monday, “COS Interim Dean Howard Grimes and I both are aware of the video that was taken in a biology classroom earlier today. Creating a classroom environment that is conducive to learning is our priority, so we too are concerned and will respond accordingly when we learn more.”

According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, on Tuesday night, Eighmy told students in an email that Moss has been replaced for the remainder of the semester and the student in question was offered support.

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