White professor who called police when black student wouldn't move seats suspended

'The decision is in the best interest of Dr Borna and the University'

A white professor who called 911 on a black student who refused to change seats won’t be teaching for the remainder of the year.

No formal disciplinary action was taken against Ball State University marketing professor Shaheen Borna, according to The Star Press.

“Dr Borna will not be teaching classes for the remainder of the semester. The decision is in the best interest of D. Borna and the University,” the school said in a written statement.

The situation prompted protests on the Muncie, Indiana campus at the end of January. The professor has since apologized for what he did.

Sultan “Mufasa” Benson, the student who refused to move seats, said he believed he was singled out by the teacher for his race, and that the response from the university wasn’t adequate, calling it a “slap on the wrist”.

“I’m not doing anything out of spite. I want justice, and a temporary leave for all of the policies he broke is still just the bare minimum,” he said. “But at least it’s a step forward in the right direction.”

Mr Benson told The Star Press that it was a “big issue” because the situation “could have gone several different ways,” Mr Benson said. “I don’t think they’re getting the concept of that yet.”

More than 100 of Mr Borna’s colleagues signed a letter to the student newspaper condemning the professor’s use of police in the classroom, characterising it as an example of institutional racism.

“Our first concern is Borna’s rapid escalation of the situation and involvement of the police to resolve a disagreement about seating. No disruption or physical threat existed,” the letter read. “The use of police to get one’s way in the classroom is institutional violence. We support our students of color as they deal with the trauma of these events and navigate its fallout.”

The altercation arose after Mr Benson refused Mr Borna’s instructions to change seats. Mr Benson was charging his laptop. Mr Borna, who uses assigned seating in his class, threatened to call the police if Mr Benson did not return to his spot.

“I was not acting out. I was not talking on my cellphone. I was learning. I was following the lesson plan,” Mr Benson said.

Mr Borna called 911 and, when the police arrived, Mr Benson left the classroom.

The professor’s decision to call the police was based on his reading of the school’s Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities, Appendix Q: Responding to Disruption in the Academic Setting.

The code gives professors the authority to temporarily kick a student out of class if they are disruptive. If the student refuses to leave, the code instructs faculty to call the university police.

“Disruptive” in the code is defined as “any behaviour a reasonable person would view as being likely to substantially or repeatedly interfere with the conduct of an academic setting.”