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With racial tensions at an all-time high, it’s almost expected that personal opinions about such a hot issue will spill over into every aspect of daily life, including work. Apparently, an Arizona professor decided that it would be a good idea to express his extreme opinions about #BlackLivesMatter that ended up temporarily costing him his job.

Toby Jennings, a black theology professor at Arizona’s Grand Canyon University made the bold statement that members of #BlackLivesMatter ‘should be hung’ last fall while speaking at a theology conference. Things went off the rails when he was asked about #BLM and proceeded to make the controversial statement. According to The Root, the incident was only recently brought to light when local civil rights activists were informed, who now want him fired instead of suspended.

Via The Root:

[Professor Toby] Jennings responded [to a #BLM question] by acknowledging that there were those in the movement who want to have civil dialogue and were very thoughtful about it, but then his comments went way off the rails.

“And you have people on the opposite extreme of that that frankly should be hung,” he continued as an audience member behind the camera gasped loudly. In the background, more awkward titters could be heard.

Jennings then attempted to “clarify” his comment, stating “That kind of rhetoric is not helpful to any conversation, and that’s what I mean by they should be hung,” Jennings said.

Meanwhile local Pastor Warren Stewart voiced his opinion regarding Jennings’ comments, saying “Before I saw the video, I thought it was a white man. It’s self-hate, it’s a Willie Lynch syndrome, it’s a mindset of [devaluing] your own culture.”

The university has reportedly met with local members of #BLM and privately apologized, however at press time there has been no permanent decision made on Toby Jennings’ employment status and if he will return from suspension or be fired.

 

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