A Michigan-based professor who called students “c*ck suckers” in a spring semester welcome video settled a lawsuit with Ferris State University after suing the school for allegedly violating his First Amendment rights, according to Fox News Digital.
Professor Barry Mehler agreed to accept $95,000 as a settlement from Ferris State University after facing a suspension in January for his viral, vulgar welcome video, according to Fox News. Mehler is reportedly facing a three-year gag order and faces a $60,000 penalty if the order is broken. Mehler agreed to retire in lieu of being terminated.
Mehler was initially suspended and placed under investigation after his welcome video amassed 500,000 views on YouTube and multiple students complained to administrators. The professor filed a lawsuit against the university in late January claiming his suspension violated his First Amendment rights, Fox News reported.
In the video, Mehler ranted about his fears of COVID-19 and his disdain for capitalism. He claimed he was spoofing a scene from the Hulu series “Deadwood” as he discussed plagiarism in his class.
“I may have fucked up my life flatter than hammered shit, but I stand before you today beholden to no human cock sucker,” Mehler said. “I’m working a paying, fucking union job and no limber dick cock sucker of an administrator is going to tell me how to teach my classes because I’m a fucking tenured professor.”
“So, if you want to go complain to your dean, fuck you. Go ahead. I’m retiring at the end of this year and I couldn’t give a flying fuck any longer,” Mehler continued. “You people are just vectors of disease to me and I don’t want to be anywhere near you.” (RELATED: Michigan Prof Put On Leave Of Absence After Cursing, Telling Students He Randomly Assigns Grades)
Fox News obtained syllabi from Mehler’s previous classes, some of which included a “trigger warning” for students.
“Dr. Mehler takes on many personas, some of them are racist and some of them are sexist,” one syllabus reportedly states. “As a result, Dr. Mehler uses profanity and what are ordinarily unacceptable racial and gender slurs. It is important for students to understand that Dr. Mehler is never expressing his ‘own’ opinions in class. He is always performing and always presenting opinions of others.”
