A creative writing instructor at Eastern Connecticut State University was forced to apologize after a GOP state legislator complained about his comments in class ripping Republican policies for obstructing voting access, the Connecticut Mirror reported.
"There are a lot of people out there that do not want black people to vote, do not want Latinos to vote," adjunct professor Brent Terry said in audio posted online on Monday by the conservative site Campus Reform. "Do not want old people to vote, or young people to vote. Because generally, people like you are liberal."
Terry also refers to conservatives as "racist, misogynist, money-grubbing people" in the recording, and warns his students about the prospect of Republicans gaining a majority in the Senate to go along with their dominance in the House.
"We will live in a very, very, very different kind of country if that happens," he says. "I mean, colleges will start closing up if they, if this people have their way. They don't think money should go to giving you people dangerous ideas about how the world should be run."
State House Minority Leader Lawrence F. Cafero Jr (R) blasted Terry's comments on Tuesday on the House floor.
"I find it offensive as a Republican, as a parent and frankly as a citizen of the state of Connecticut that we would have in our public university a professor who would make such a comment," Cafero said. He reportedly drew bipartisan applause after denouncing Terry's remarks.
An hour later, Terry issued his apology, saying he let his political stance "color" classroom discussion. Cafero reportedly accepted the apology.
"As a liberal arts university, Eastern is known for encouraging debate and discussion about a host of social and political issues," Terry was quoted as saying. "My role in my own classroom is to keep the debate lively yet respectful. I did not meet that standard yesterday, and for that I am truly sorry."
Listen to Terry's comments, as posted online by Campus Reform, below.
[Image: "An angry mature teacher holding a wand and gesturing," via Shutterstock]
