California College Professor On Leave After Berating Student Who Is Hard Of Hearing

A professor at a California college has been placed on paid administrative leave after a disturbing video was posted on social media showing him harshly criticizing a student who is hard of hearing during an online class.

The acting president of Oxnard College, Luis Sanchez, called the video, apparently posted on TikTok by students, “heartbreaking. No matter what led up to that interaction, there’s no justification,” he told ABC 7 TV.

“It was appalling, honestly. It was horrifying. This is 2021 that we’re living in,” Dr. Patricia Hughes, CEO of the Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness, told the TV station.

The professor, Michael Abram, appears angry in the video as he badgers the student during the class Thursday. She responds: “I can hear you a little bit.”

He tells her that she has “too much distraction to even understand what’s going on.” 

When she explains that her hearing translator is “explaining to me everything that you’re saying,” he snaps: “Then maybe … just have them teach you the whole class … I see you laughing and smiling and giggling with somebody else.”

A fellow student attempts to help by explaining: “Professor? She’s actually hard of hearing so her translator goes in … she can’t respond right away.“

Abram answers: “She’s not paying attention. She’s not trying.”

The Ventura County Community College District announced at a press conference Friday that Abram has been placed on leave, pending an investigation.

The district is “deeply troubled by the behavior seen in a video posted on social media by students on Feb. 18, showing an interaction between a student who is hard-of-hearing and an Oxnard College faculty member,” said a statement posted on the VCCCD website Friday. 

“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,” said Board Chair Joshua Chancer. The district is “opposed to any language or behavior which is offensive or harmful to anyone based on gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, age or disability,” he added.

Chancellor Greg Gillespie told ABC 7: “We’re here to support our students in their academic journeys and their success. We do not tolerate discriminatory, rude or bullying behavior.”

Neither the student in the video nor Abram could immediately be reached for comment.