The professor who called Republicans racists and rapists may have been relieved of his teaching duties for the rest of the semester, but he will still be paid in full by Michigan State University.
Campus Reform learned from an MSU spokesperson on Thursday that creative writing professor William Penn’s would still receive his annual salary of $146,510.
“His employment status has not changed; his teaching duties have been reassigned,” wrote Josiah Ryan, editor in chief of Campus Reform, in an email to The Daily Caller.
On the first day of class last week, Penn launched into a tirade about how Republicans are suppressing black voters and refusing to pay taxes. He also attacked the Romney family and questions why Mitt Romney would have married a woman like Anne Romney.
An eye-witness account from a student in the class revealed previously unreported details of Penn’s rant. According to sophomore Caroline Freeman, Penn also attacked Christians and athletes.
“He was talking about how Christians are dumb and don’t know what what they’re talking about and that they’re all blind followers,” said Freeman in a statement to MLive. “He was just tearing down a whole institution of belief, and it had nothing to do with class.”
He then turned on athletes.
“He said athletes were wasting their time trying to throw a ball in a hoop and how we glorify them for no reason,” she said. “He was calling people bad for playing football.”
Freeman — a Republican, Christian, and athlete — couldn’t help but frown at Penn during his insulting tirade. But because she was sitting in the front row, this attracted his attention. When he asked her why she was frowning at him, she said, “Because you’re being an ass.”
She soon regretted the comment.
“He had said before, ‘You have every right to disagree with me, but it may be reflected in your grade,'” she recalled.
MSU did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
UPDATE: MSU spokesperson Jason Cody clarified that Penn would be engaged in non-teaching activities this semester.
“He is still employed and being paid this semester focusing on other duties, such as research,” wrote Cody in an email to The Daily Caller.