Duquesne University Professor Fired For Using Racial Slurs

PITTSBURGH, PA — Duquesne University has fired a professor for using racial slurs during an online lecture last month. Education professor Gary Shank was terminated by university Provost David Dausey for remarks made during the Zoom lecture.

Shank using the racial slur at least three times during a session of his educational psychology course on child and adolescent development.

“I’m giving you permission to use the word, OK?” Shank said on a clip posted to Twitter. “Because we’re using the word in a pedagogical sense. What’s the one word about race that we’re not allowed to use?”

After a period of silence, Shank provided a hint, saying the word starts with the letter N.

"It’s even hard to say, OK?” he said. “I’ll tell you the word. And again, I’m not using in any way other than to demonstrate a point. Fair enough?”

A separate clip depicts Shank using the slur three times in less than a minute, saying the word was commonly used when he was younger.

“Could we do that nowadays?” he asked.