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Georgia State University professor removed from classroom after calling police on late students
A Georgia State University spokesperson said the Provost and chief of police met with the two students involved earlier this week. The spokesperson said the professor involved was removed from teaching in-person classes to avoid disruption.
NEWTON COUNTY, Ga. - A Georgia State University professor has been removed from her classroom for the remainder of the semester after she reportedly called the police on two students. The reason --- they were late to class.
Bria Blake, a fellow Georgia State University student and friend of the two students involved, spoke with us about what happened. She said her friends are still traumatized and that type of incident cannot happen again.
"Both of the students, a man and a woman, started crying because they were so terrified of what could happen to them," Blake said in a TikTok video describing the on-campus incident.
She went on to say that "two Black students had the police called on them today at Georgia State's Perimeter Campus in Newton County for being two minutes late to class."
FOX 5 sat down with Blake on Tuesday to discuss the incident.
"I was worried. I was angry," she told FOX 5's Brian Hill.
Blake says the professor, who university officials identified as Carissa Gray, asked the students to leave, but they refused --- allegedly saying they paid to be there. That's when Gray reportedly left and returned with two campus police officers.
"Even though the professor herself is Black, we know what happens when Black people are confronted by police especially, if those police are white," Blake said.
A university spokesperson said the provost and chief of police met with the students involved earlier this week. They went on to say that Gray was removed from teaching the in-person classes, so students could finish the semester with minimal disruption.
"As of right now, I don't think she should still be teaching at all in any classroom, in any capacity," Blake detailed.
Blake said she hopes this situation is a learning lesson for everyone moving forward.
"The police are not to be used for frivolous matters," she detailed.
FOX 5 reached out to Gray for comment, but did not hear back at the time of this report.
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