UGA professor resigns mid-class after student refuses to wear mask

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

Tweet text:
Chip Stewart
@MediaLawProf
“Professor Bernstein said, ‘That's it. I’m retired,’ and we watched him pack all of his papers into his bag and walk out of the classroom.” Absolute legend. https://redandblack.com/uganews/uga-professor-resigns-mid-class-after-student-refuses-to-wear-mask/article_598ba244-077b-11ec-ba9b-cb3534ab07cc.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=user-share… via @redandblack

UGA professor resigns mid-class after student refuses to wear mask
A UGA retiree-rehire psychology professor resigned on Tuesday after one of his students refused to properly wear a mask.
redandblack.com
4:58 PM · Aug 27, 2021

https://www.redandblack.com/uganews/uga-professor-resigns-mid-class-after-student-refuses-to-wear-mask/article_598ba244-077b-11ec-ba9b-cb3534ab07cc.html

A University of Georgia retiree-rehire professor resigned on Tuesday after one of his students refused to properly wear a mask in an upper division psychology seminar class held at the psychology building.

During Irwin Bernstein’s second class of the semester, the student, who was not present on the first day of class, arrived at the 25-person class unmasked and was asked by Bernstein to retrieve one from the advising office. The student was given a spare disposable mask from a peer but did not wear it over her nose.

Bernstein asked the student to pull her mask up to wear it correctly, but she said she “couldn’t breathe” and “had a really hard time breathing” with the cloth over her mouth and nose.

Written on the board at the front of the classroom was, “No mask, no class,” according to fourth-year psychology major Hannah Huff.

*snip*

[TomSlick]

1. Why not just tell her to leave?

[Hekate]

3. I think he did. It was on the board, he verbally sent her out to get a mask, he verbally told her...

…to wear it correctly when she left her nose out, and when after the 3 warnings I listed she whined and refused — he left.

He’s in his 80s and came out of retirement because apparently the college was short-handed. Why the hell should he risk his life for a snot-nosed brat? She was set to be a PITA every day.

If I’d been in that class, one required for graduation at that, I would have given said brat a tongue-lashing she’d never forget.

[SYFROYH]

5. He didn't have the authority. The USG system has said no mask or vax mandates in the universities

It's a terrible decision on their part and purely political in my opinion, but it is well known for all who work in the USG system. Some students will not be vaxxed or masked up and there is nothing that faculty or staff can do about it.

The student is ridiculous, stupid, and/or being political.

He knew this when taking the position.

[Reader Rabbit]

2. Name and shame

If that selfish, spoiled brat wants to endanger the lives of her professors and fellow students, then she needs to own it before the world.

[TomSlick]

7. My wife is a college professor.

She has made it very clear that she will order any students not correctly wearing a mask to leave the classroom. If there is an exam that day, you get a zero.

[greenjar_01]

9. What if they refuse?

[TomSlick]

12. She will call security.

The University has made it clear that masks are mandatory in class rooms. There would be no hesitation to disenroll the student. It's a private school. The loss of a semester's tuition would be a serious hit.

[greenjar_01]

13. Ah

I mean, I don't think there are going to be a lot of cases of this. Calling campus police/public safety on students is definitely a look though.

[TomSlick]

15. The Professor is not a person with whom one should triffle.

She takes Covid very seriously.

[greenjar_01]

16. Fair enough

[SYFROYH]

10. Some colleges are mandating masks and backing it up, but not UGA or USG schools.

No mask, no vax mandates in the University of Georgia System.

[greenjar_01]

14. I suspect we'll find out what "backing it up" means over the next few weeks

[Hoyt]

4. Love it when an old guy says "I don't have to put up with this chit."

Personally, think the school should mandate masks.

But UGA attracts a substantial percentage of students from rube families. Personal observation over the years.

[greenjar_01]

8. Hilariously, his area of research was agonistic behavior in non-human primates

He really came across a poo-flinger in this seminar.

[greenjar_01]

6. My guy was retired, and probably picking up the class as a favor at an adjunct rate

He had neither time nor need for bullshit, and walked.

Good for him, but let's be clear. This wasn't a full professor at the height of tenure resigning in protest.

[luckone]

11. My college student kid told me about this happening @ a universitybut didn't have details so thanks

for the post ! Both kids are at schools requiring vax and masks They said no maskholes so far

[cstanleytech]

17. You know what? I have many of the professors same health problems as well as asthma but

I still wear a damn mask over my nose even though it makes it difficult for me to breath so if I can then this young lady can damn well do it to.

[ecstatic]

18. The feeling of not being able to breathe with the mask on is due to anxiety

and it passes fairly quickly as long as you're self aware and can calm yourself down.

Anyway, good for the prof.