Suspended professor made salty video to get ‘juices flowing’

By ED WHITE
Associated Press

DETROIT (AP) — A Michigan professor who was suspended after making a profanity-filled introductory video for his students says it was simply a humorous attempt “to get their juices flowing.” Barry Mehler teaches history at Ferris State University in Big Rapids. Mehler was placed on leave after the school president said he was “shocked and appalled” by the video. In the video, Mehler covered a range of topics, including grades, attendance, plagiarism, COVID-19 and the HBO series “Deadwood.” He says he randomly assigns grades before the first day of class because that’s how “predestination works.” Mehler also called students “vectors of disease,” a reference to COVID-19.