GCU suspends professor for Black Lives Matter comments
Aug 25, 2017, 4:03 PM
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PHOENIX — Last year, a Grand Canyon University professor made negative comments regarding the Black Lives Matter movement.
“They are saying things that are not helpful to any way, shape or form of human dignity or flourishing,” Toby Jennings said. “That is not helpful to any conversation. That kind of rhetoric is not helpful to any conversation.
“And that’s what I mean by they should be hung.”
On Tuesday, the school placed him on administrative leave following its investigation.
“The university wants to be clear that the professor’s rhetoric in no way reflects the heart of this university or its dedicated students, faculty and staff,” GCU said in a statement.
“There must be no distance between what we say and what we do. The university has an unprecedented commitment to our community that is expressed on a daily basis through a myriad of programs that reflect the university’s true spirit.”
The comments made by Jennings came after the Black Lives Matter group was brought up during a social justice forum between two African-american professors, one being Jennings, and two Caucasian professors.
The school said it was aware of Jennings’ comments last year, but suspended him after completing its investigation this week.
