Black student has police called on her professor, prompting university investigation

Nov. 14, 2018 / 7:20 PM GMT

By Didi Martinez and Jareen Imam

A black student at the University of Texas at San Antonio had police called on her by a white professor after she had put her feet up on one of the classroom chairs, students and school officials said.

The educator, identified by the university in a statement as biology professor Anita Moss, led university police to the student Monday during her Anatomy & Physiology 1 class and watched as the student was escorted out. The university said it has since launched two investigations looking into the incident.

Apurva Rawal, a student in the class, told NBC News he didn’t feel the student was being disruptive and decided to share a video of the event on Twitter.

“So this happened today in class, a girl had her feet up and the professor called the police after calling our class uncivil,” said Rawal in the now-viral tweet.

The video shows Moss talking to university police before leading them to another side of the classroom where the young woman, whose identity wasn’t released, is seated and asked to go with the officers. The room is silent as her classmates watch the student leave and the professor head toward the front of the auditorium.

Rawal said he felt something needed to be done about the student’s ousting after witnessing the whole exchange.

“I was inspired to share this video because I believe an abuse of power of this magnitude deserved to have a spotlight shined on it in order for justice to be served,” Rawal said.

The university’s president, Taylor Eighmy, issued a statement to students Monday saying the school is looking at the incident though an investigation into “possible discrimination” and “academic management of the classroom.”

By Tuesday, Eighmy said that those conducting the investigation had met with the escorted student and with Moss and will allow another professor to teach the class for the rest of the semester.

“No matter the outcome of the investigations, the incident shows issues that extend far beyond the events of yesterday,” Eighmy wrote.

“The reactions expressed through social media, emails, phone calls and group meetings I’ve attended confirm that feelings of marginalization on the part of some students—especially our African American students—are real and profound.”

Joe Izbrand, the university’s vice president for communications and marketing, told NBC News that the school would not be commenting further until the investigations come to a close.

Classes for the Anatomy & Physiology 1 students are set to resume without Moss on Friday, according to the university.

Moss did not immediately respond to requests for comment.