A Christian college student has been suspended after allegedly challenging his Muslim professor’s claims that Jesus wasn’t crucified and that his disciples did not think he was God.
Marshall Polston, a sophomore at Rollins College in Florida, was suspended after disagreeing with these assertions made by his professor, Areej Zufari, in his Middle Eastern humanities class, as reported by The College Fix.
“Honestly, it reminded me of some of the more radical groups I researched when abroad,” Polston told the Central Florida Post. “Whether religious or not, I believe even those with limited knowledge of Christianity can agree that according to the text, Jesus was crucified and his followers did believe he was divine… that he was ‘God.’”
After Polston challenged Zufari on this point, he received a 52 percent on an essay and says the professor refused to explain why. He was later reportedly suspended.
“I was upset, understandably,” stated Polston. “I’ve never gotten anything less than straight A’s, so I was really interested in figuring out how to possibly improve or at least understand the grade.”
Zufari reported the student to Rollins’s “Dean of Safety” and canceled class, alleging Polston made her feel “unsafe.”
When the class met again, Zufari brought up Sharia law and a male Muslim student suggested that adulterers, gays, and thieves should be decapitated, according to Polston. Multiple students thought the teacher should report the statement and one anonymous student told the FBI, but Zufari purportedly took no action beyond playfully telling the Muslim student something similar to that he was “in time-out” and should remain quiet for a bit.
Along with his suspension, Polston was ordered not to contact Zufari. The professor submitted a police report alleging that Polston disobeyed the order and had shown up outside of the classroom, but both a restaurant receipt and video surveillance stills indicate that the student was buying food at an Orlando restaurant during the class period.
Rollins College previously booted a Christian student group from campus because the organization required members to be Christian and endorse some conservative views, which violated the school’s anti-discrimination policy.
Jo Marie Hebeler, communications manager at Rollins College, sent the following statement to The Daily Caller News Foundation:
Rollins College is welcoming and respectful of all religious and cultural beliefs. As an institution of higher education, we value and encourage diversity of opinions and respectful discourse. In accordance with FERPA and our institutional policies, it is our responsibility to respect the privacy and confidentiality of all involved in this incident, students and faculty alike. The safety and fair treatment of all members of our campus community is of utmost concern.
