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. . .A Georgetown law professor has resigned following his participation in a Zoom call with a colleague whose comments about her Black students having a lower academic performance every semester led to her being fired.

On Saturday, a Georgetown spokesperson confirmed to WTOP that Georgetown law professor David Batson had submitted his resignation letter and that Georgetown Law Dean Bill Treanor had accepted.

The footage at the center of the controversy – which has gone viral on Twitter with more than 1 million views – shows professor Sandra Sellers speaking to Batson over Zoom about students’ academic performance.

Treanor announced Sellers’ firing Thursday afternoon and said Batson had been placed on administrative leave pending the results of an investigation by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Affirmative Action.   . . .

“As I wrote to you last night, I am appalled that two members of our faculty engaged in a conversation that included reprehensible statements concerning the evaluation of Black students,” Treanor said in a statement. “I have further reviewed the incident and have now spoken to Professor Sellers and Professor Batson, giving each the opportunity to provide any additional context.”

Treanor said during his conversation with Sellers, he informed her he was “terminating her relationship with Georgetown Law effective immediately,” despite her saying she intended to resign.

In a resignation letter Sellers provided to Fox News, she wrote to Treanor that she is “deeply sorry for my hurtful and misdirected remarks.”

“While the video of this incident is an excerpt from a longer discussion about class participation patterns, not overall grades, it doesn’t diminish the insensitivity of I have demonstrated,” she continued. “I would never do anything to intentionally hurt my students or Georgetown Law and wish I could take back my words.”

“My comments were the inarticulate reflection of long soul searching. I must do better to understand and address these issues,” Sellers added. “I am committed to doing this for myself and also looking for ways I can combat racism in the Georgetown community.  . . .

The video of the conversation was first posted to an online database accessible by students taking classes remotely because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to NBC News. . . .

Share your comments on this professor resigning and the controversy surrounding this video. . .

(Excerpt from Fox News. Article by Bradford Betz. Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

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Ellen H
March 29, 2021

This story makes me want to cry. Cry for the students who get a sub-standard education. Cry for the professors who aren’t allowed to communicate honestly. It is the underlying lies that are keeping many people down. This administration is not helping them, they’re being hurt. It is no longer about excellence, or doing ones best. In Baltimore, if I remember my facts straight, one high school boy passed 3 of his high school classes, had a 1.3 grade point average, and was in the top half of his class. This should not be!! Baltimore is throwing in more money all the time, it is not working or helping because of the belief system of schools and individuals. I saw excellence being dumbed down in the 1990’s. This affects all children, not just blacks. My daughter teaches an online courses at a University. She told us she cannot believe the students she is teaching that don’t know basic writing skills. She spends a lot of time on bringing them up to the bar. So very sad. Where more is expected, more will be accomplished.

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Bibi
March 29, 2021

The remarks should not be considered racist…if she had detrimentally added a comment to a FACT based statemeny, i could classify it as such but this is MISidendified and mussels honest communications and further denies remedies for needs. Denying truth hurts real solutions!

Donna
March 29, 2021

As a teacher we are held to a higher level. How we choose to teach, speak and act is consciously affecting the future of our community. As a professor she had chosen to train up leaders in the community for the future. I sence no true compassion or empathy. So sad.

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    EAN
    March 29, 2021

    Agreed. Regardless where you stand politically, her comments were extremely careless. She could be a racist or perhaps she is not. Her comments may be true in her classroom experience or perhaps it is based on bias. We may never now.

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Arthur
March 28, 2021

The story behind the story began in the 1930s. Stalin saw an opportunity and prepared materials and recruited workers to amplify the race issue. Some of his recruits got fed up with it and exposed it. The real problem is the infiltration of the entire K12 education system, from the same source, to dumb down the whole thing with new math, look say reading instead of phonics, etc. and fill it with false teaching like evolution, big bang, 1690 or whatever the most recent critical race topic is, elimination of the Bible from English class. Do you think the Democrats are in favor of high black performance? Who controls the areas where most of the black students go to school? In my state, last Spring, the dept. of education sent out bulletins to slack off on minorities because of COVID 19. Why? to give them more time for social media?

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Evelyn
March 28, 2021

If she telling the truth then what’s the problem. She is just saying they need more attention, need more help. I don’t understand why David was fired. What’s need to be corrected? If they are black students how else was she to distinguish them from others.

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Tanya Williams
March 28, 2021

This is the result when Christ followers (not “Christians”) retreat from the public sphere.
Father, call those in academia who know your name to be BOLD and stand on your promises. Give courage and strength to those with a teaching gift to stand for righteousness. I ask this all in the name of Jesus.

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Claire Morgan
March 28, 2021

Thank you, Suzie, for posting this response. I wish Professor Sellers had not back-peddled. She was merely making a comment about what she had noticed among her students. I am a teacher also and am appalled at the attacks on free speech, particularly speech that has nothing to do with being racist. Professor Sellers, as you have pointed out, was merely speaking the truth about what she was experiencing with her students. The other professor apparently was experiencing the same thing and, thus, agreeing with her. Our society is seeing the effects of Critical Race Theory, which is rampant in our universities. thank you for your prayer against what is going on. I pray in agreement with you. Blessings!

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Karen Knee
March 28, 2021

It is getting where we can’t say anything w/o extreme fear. I believe we are exactly the opposite of what MSM, Democrats, etc. want to project that our country is. We are one of the kindest nations on the planet. Look at the work that the Bush (jr) did in Africa to combat Aids. We spent a lot of money sending it to fight the disease. We alsways offer to hrelp nations in other countries. There are outreach workers hired in schools to help black kids and other minorities. The left uses this to paint a picture of America that is not true.

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Suzie
March 28, 2021

How stupid to fire professors for speaking truth about student performance just because they happen to be black! I am a black teacher and a lot of my lower student performance comes from black students because of LOW EXPECTATIONS from teachers throughout elementary, middle and high school because of the student being black! That is racist! Having low expectations because of color is racist. What these professors said, if it is truth, HOW CAN IT BE RACIST? So now we can’t speak Truth? The trick of the devil is if a teacher or professor is afraid to critique student work and performance, THAT STUDENT CANNOT GROW AND IMPROVE THEIR PERFORMANCE! FATHER GOD help the leaders of these colleges and universities stop with their racist ways of firing professors for STUPID REASONS! I bind satan who is behind all of this confusion and loose the TRUTH of CHRIST and the Anointing of our HOLY SPIRIT over our colleges and universities in JESUS Name! Help us to stand up against the attempt by satan to make black students victims and making professors afraid to speak Truth about student performance to black students in JESUS Name!

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    DebraDee
    March 28, 2021

    God bless you, Suzie, for speaking truth here. You are so right. God bless you also for being a teacher and standing firm. Our nation’s schools need more strong teachers like you who fear God and not men.

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    Emily
    March 28, 2021

    Susie,
    Thank you for your courage to speak out. Since you are a black woman you will be able to have a powerful positive impact, regarding this dangerous perspective. I am also a teacher, and I commend you for wanting academic growth for all your students, regardless of their skin color. We must not be afraid of hurting our students feelings, but we must be guiding them with straight forward truth. Each one of them needs to see where they are, and to have great hope for where they can go, with hard work, self discipline and thankfulness for the opportunities that America makes available to everyone who has a desire to go after them. May God bless you as you empower your students with truth, not skin color.
    Emily

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