Deaf News: Professor placed on leave after alleged ‘audist’ comments towards student

An American college professor has been put on administrative leave after video surfaced of them allegedly criticising a hard of hearing student.

In a clip posted to Twitter, the tutor – identified in the clip as Michael Abrams – appears to address the student directly, saying: “I’ve been talking to you, Ms Salazar.”

After Salazar responds to say she can hear the professor “a little bit”, Abrams goes on to add: “You can hear me a little bit? Why didn’t you answer all the times I spoke to you then?

“Why don’t we talk sometime? Why don’t you email me?

“We’ll set up a live Zoom and we’re gonna have some real communication at some point in time, okay? Maybe you can have your counsellor join us, okay?

“Do you hear me,” he asks.

Is this the kind of professors you are employing at your college?? Unacceptable! @ventura_college pic.twitter.com/7JqzxuoJxT

— Deaf Hottie🧏🏾‍♀️🥵 (@bluejay19xx) February 19, 2021

The comments prompted another student to respond, with a female classmate saying “she’s actually hard of hearing”.

“So her translator goes in a little bit late. She can’t respond right away,” she replies.

Abrams responded: “She’s not paying attention. She’s not trying.

“Are you her translator, Abygail?”

When the student in question explains that she has a translator next to her assisting her with the session, Abrams retorts: “Just have them teach you the whole class, that makes sense to me. I don’t know.

“I don’t understand it, but I see you laughing and smiling and giggling with somebody else,” he continues.

The video has since gone viral on Twitter with more than 200,000 views and over 3,400 retweets, with many users describing the man’s alleged behaviour as “disgusting” and “ableist”.

Deaf dancer Raven Sutton, who shared the captioned clip on the platform, tweeted: “It’s completely irresponsible for teachers and professors to not have any IDEA about accommodations and needs of a Deaf/HOH [hard of hearing] student in their class!”

Author Roxane Gay added: “The way this professor talks to a student. Brace yourself – it’s terrible.

“I don’t even know what to say beyond to express disgust and anger. If you can’t teach all your students, you shouldn’t be teaching any student.”

In response to the backlash, Ventura County Community College District (VCCCD), based in California, said it was “deeply troubled by the behaviour” seen in the interaction between the student and a member of its Oxnard College faculty.

Board chair Joshua Chancer said: “The [VCCD] is opposed to any language or behaviour which is offensive or harmful to anyone based on gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, age or disability. Comments in the video do not reflect the District’s values of integrity and honesty in action and word, respect and the constant pursuit of excellence.”

“We are all concerned regarding the student and faculty member interactions and will take appropriate actions at the conclusion of the investigation. We are committed to supporting the success of our students and will be reaching out to all students in the class to support them in their continued success,” added Chancellor Greg Gillespie.

The organisation confirmed that the staff member has since been placed on immediate administrative leave.

An investigation into the incident is also underway by district leadership, with the process itself taking approximately three months to complete.

Photo: @salwaabaker/TikTok.

By Liam O’Dell. Liam is a mildly deaf freelance journalist and campaigner from Bedfordshire. He wears bilateral hearing aids and can be found talking about disability, theatre, politics and more on Twitter and on his website.