KANSAS – A University of Kansas professor was suspended from teaching a class after reportedly telling a student to “learn English” Tuesday.
Engineering professor Gary Minden said the incident recently occurred in the beginning of class when a student was using a translator on a cell phone, The Associated Press reported Friday.
“Other students, from my perspective, took offense to that,” Minden said, according to the Lawrence Journal-World. “Not the student I addressed, but other students.”
Minden’s course syllabus for “Embedded Systems” does not allow electronic devices, which includes Sudoku, newspapers and crossword puzzles, during lectures.
“If your use of an electronic device diverts my attention, I will call you on that and wait until your important business is completed,” the syllabus said.
Nearly a third of engineering students walked out of classes following the incident Tuesday, according to The University Daily Kansan.
“A number of students have raised concerns about events that occurred in their engineering class,” university spokeswoman Erinn Barcomb-Peterson said, the Journal-World reported. “In response to these concerns, the university has assigned a different instructor to teach the course while the matter is reviewed.”
“Everyone thinks I made a mistake,” Minden said, according to The Kansan. “I did. On the other hand, I don’t feel I should take responsibility for students’ feelings.”
The University of Kansas and Minden did not immediately respond to The Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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