Nearly 20,000 sign petition to fire UCLA lecturer

Gordon Klein, a lecturer at the Anderson School of Management, is currently on leave according to an email sent to his class Thursday after students created the petition in response to his response to a student’s request for finals-related accommodations. The student requested a no-harm and shortened final exam, and extended deadlines for final assignments and projects in consideration of black students’ wellbeing in light of nationwide protests against police brutality.


Here is email lecturer sent:

“Thanks for your suggestion in your email below that I give black students special treatment, given the tragedy in Minnesota,” wrote Klein. “Do you know the names of the classmates that are black? How can I identify them since we’ve been having online classes only? Are there any students that may be of mixed parentage, such as half black-half Asian? What do you suggest I do with respect to them? A full concession or just half? Also, do you have any idea if any students are from Minneapolis? I assume that they probably are especially devastated as well. I am thinking that a white student from there might be possibly even more devastated by this, especially because some might think that they’re racist even if they are not. My TA is from Minneapolis, so if you don’t know, I can probably ask her. Can you guide me on how you think I should achieve a “no-harm” outcome since our sole course grade is from a final exam only? One last thing strikes me: Remember that MLK famously said that people should not be evaluated based on the ‘color of their skin.’ Do you think that your request would run afoul of MLK’s admonition? Thanks, G. Klein”

LINK

link that has email