An Orange Coast College student filmed his professor ranting about President Donald Trump and that student got suspended. The professor's rant, which became viral after it was posted online, talked about Trump's presidential win as an act of terrorism.
The teacher involved received violent threats from the supporters of the president. In the video, the professor was heard saying, "We're really back to being in a civil war."
It seemed the student, identified as 19-year-old Caleb O'Neil, did not agree with his psychology professor so he showed the video to a campus Republican group. The group complained about the professor, identified as Olga Perez Stable Cox, abusing her power. In the video, which was taken after the November 2016 presidential election, Cox called Trump a white supremacist, Washington Post reported.
A lawyer for the group who complained against Cox said the statements of the professor are irrational and does not belong in the classroom. The administration reportedly did not act on the matter but took the clip online.
O' Neil said he had to record the rant because he was scared her dislike for Trump could affect his grades because the teacher knew the student supported Trump. Cox is also said to be comforting students scared by the rhetoric of Trump against Muslims and other minority groups. The 66-year-old said in a recent statement she is paranoid now because she feels like she is attacked by a mob of people from all over the country, Fox News reported.
Weeks after the video went viral, O'Neil received a letter regarding his suspension. The dean said they felt badly about the things that happened to the individuals affected in the spreading of the video, but the student broke campus rules against using recording devices. Thus, a semester-long suspension was given as punishment.
The suspension would end if O' Neil would apologize to Cox and write an essay as to why he decided to put the matter online. An attorney for the student said O' Neil will still attend classes as he appeals the suspension.
