You have /5 articles left.
Sign up for a free account or log in.
The University of Texas at San Antonio professor who called the police on a black student in her class who had her feet propped up will not teach for the remainder of the semester.
Anita Moss, senior lecturer in the department of biology, apparently had a preoccupation with students remaining civil in the classroom, including placing their feet on chairs, according to a memo sent to UT San Antonio provost Kimberly Andrews Espy.
The memo stated that Moss had, throughout the semester, routinely stopped class to call students out who had their feet up, or who were using their cellphones. One of Moss's colleagues advised her that she could instead call university police on the next incident.
The student who was removed for putting her feet up had been told by Moss not to do so. Moss had tried to send the student an email on Sunday informing her she would not be allowed to attend class until Moss met with her to discuss her behavior. But Moss sent the email to the wrong student, according to the memo.
When the student showed up to class on Monday, Moss confronted the student and showed her the email she had never received. The student refused to leave, saying she needed the class, which was when Moss called the police to escort the student out.
Other students in the class told Moss she had crossed a line with the student who was kicked out. The university was investigating the episode as potential discrimination.
The memo states that Moss can return to her teaching duties in spring 2019, but she will be monitored.
