A professor at York University in Ontario, Canada, was pulled from the course he was teaching after images that showed him reprimanding and threatening to fail a student went viral earlier this week. The professor is seen telling the student, who said he could not take the mid-term exam because of the internet blackout imposed by the military in Myanmar, that “the next time you lose something, it’s over”.
Images from the e-mail exchange show the student asking math and statistics professor Emanoil Theodorescu to postpone his mid-term exam, saying that he recently discovered that the military would impose another internet blackout.
“I just learned that starting tomorrow, all cellular, wi-fi and internet data services will be cut off indefinitely,” wrote the student. “So there will be a complete blackout of communications.”
“There is no postponement. He is transferred to the final exam. Last chance, bad sign,” replied Theodorescu, according to the images. “Even the internet went down with Covid19?”
The student responded by trying to explain the situation in Myanmar, which has been shaken by protests and civil unrest since the military carried out a coup in February.
“Almost 200 protesters were shot [until] now. The regime decided to end all communications by tomorrow, “said the student.
When the student asked if the final exam would be 60% of the grade, Theodorescu replied: “something like that.”
“Ok, professor. Thank you,” said the student. “So, shouldn’t I worry if I miss the test tomorrow?
“Of course you should,” replied Theodorescu. “The next time you lose something, it’s over.”
“By the way, your comments (related to this course and your country) made me think about how you understand the reality,” he added. “People are not shot just for protesting, but for much deeper reasons. And with everything loaded in the final exam – it will be difficult to pass the course – for lack of practice, if nothing else.”
Images of the exchange posted on Twitter on Thursday quickly generated outrage. In a statement on Friday, York University said it is committed to ensuring “respect, equity, diversity and inclusion”, adding: “There has been recent communication between a professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics and a student who does not reflect these values. ”
“We would like to assure everyone that the senior faculty team was able to contact the student directly on the night of the exchange with the instructor and clearly expressed support for their difficult situation and well-being and, in addition addition, he assured them that the necessary accommodation would be provided, “said the university.
“Alternative arrangements for teaching the course have been made,” added the university.
Theodorescu’s contact information has been removed from the department’s teachers and instructors page. He did not respond to CBS News’s request for comment.
Civil unrest consumed Myanmar after the February 1 coup, which resulted in the military junta taking control of the country. Military officials said they took control because the leader Aung San Suu Kyi was elected due to electoral fraud, an allegation that has been largely dispelled. Suu Kyi and hundreds of other politicians and allies have been in prison since then.
The military has hack internet services and blocked international communications while protests subsided. More than 100 people, including many young people, students, educators and health professionals, were killed by the military for protesting the coup.
On Friday, the United Nations accused the junta of using force to take over more than 60 schools, and even assaulting teachers, according to The Associated Press.