A professor at a New York public college appeared to shout down pro-life students before snagging and throwing items in their display, accusing the students of spreading “propaganda” and “triggering” other students.
Hunter College students were manning a table displaying pro-life literature earlier this month when they were confronted by an angry professor, who shouted profanities at the students before tossing materials off the table, video of the interaction shows.
“You’re not educating s—, this is f—ing propaganda,” the professor tells the students in a clip posted to Twitter by Students for Life of America. “What are you going to do like anti-trans next?”
The aggressor in the situation was art professor Shellyne Rodriguez, who a Hunter College spokesperson confirmed works at the school as an adjunct assistant professor.
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Pro-life activists try to block the sign of a pro-choice demonstrator during the 2018 March for Life in Washington, D.C. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
According to the spokesperson, the school is aware of the encounter and is “taking this matter very seriously.”
“The provost has opened an investigation into the professor’s actions,” the spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
On her website, Rodriguez says she is a “writer and community organizer” who focuses her work on “strategies of survival against erasure and subjugation.”
In the viral video of the confrontation with the students, two unidentified individuals appear to try to deescalate the situation, apologizing to Rodriguez while noting they are just attempting to educate people on the issue.
“This is bull—-, this is violent,” Rodriguez responds. “You’re triggering my students.”
“I am sorry about that,” one of the pro-life students responds.
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“No you’re not, because you can’t even have a f—ing baby. So you don’t even know what that is. Get this s— the f— out of here,” the professor fires back before attempting to push the items off the table. “F— this s—.”
It isn’t clear if there was any interaction before the start of the video and what exactly the literature at the table says.
While the incident went viral on social media and was reported on by the College Fix, the professor’s actions were defended by the PSC Graduate Center, a labor organization of graduate and professional schools at the City University of New York.
The group argued that the “Students for Life set up a table and prominent banners to propagate dangerously false propaganda,” claiming such materials are “disinformation” and “should never be allowed to take root at our college.”
The group then called the professor’s actions “justified.”
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“Hunter College adjunct educator Shellyne Rodriguez approached the display, constructively critiqued the group members, and eventually physically took down items from the table,” the group said. “Her actions to shut down the tabling were fully justified, and are part of a long and celebrated CUNY legacy of confronting groups such as military recruiters who disseminate misleading information.”
They also noted Rodriguez was questioned about the incident by Hunter College Provost Manoj Pardasani and John Rose, dean of Diversity and Compliance and Campus Relations, though the result of those discussions was unclear.
Meanwhile, Hunter College said the school remains a place that encourages “the free expression of ideas.”
“Hunter College prides itself on maintaining decorum and respect for all, while encouraging the free expression of ideas,” the Hunter College spokesperson said. “Students can display one side of a political issue, or more than one side. We consider our campus a vibrant marketplace of ideas.”
