Massachusetts

Professor's Facebook Posts Raising Eyebrows on Bridgewater State University Campus

A Massachusetts professor is taking some heat after a series of posts on Facebook directed at President Donald Trump and those who voted for him.

The posts by Dr. Garrett Nichols, an English professor, are generating a lot of reaction on the campus of Bridgewater State University.

One post read, "F--- Donald Trump," and "F--- ANYONE who voted for Donald Trump".

Another post with a picture of the Ku Klux Klan read, "Trump voters, you belong in this parade."

"Personally, I would fire this guy, that is what I would say," said student Rob McDougall.

"If the president can use social media to get his ideas across, why not anybody else," countered student Anna Rice.

Several of the posts are from after President Donald Trump won the election last November, including one filled with profanities targeting Trump and all those who voted for him.

Two posts are from last month.

A student, who didn't want to be identified, took screen shots of the Nicols' posts and shared them after seeing them over the weekend.

Jason Ross, another Bridgewater State student and head of the Massachusetts College of Republicans, thinks the posts are outrageous.

"If I was in his class I wouldn't feel comfortable with him grading my papers knowing I'm a Republican," he said. "Knowing he thinks I belong in the KKK, that's absurd."

The professor's posts are now sparking a debate about what constitutes free speech on campus.

"Free speech goes to a certain extent, this is breaking those limits, basically, so this is very wrong," said McDougall. 

Nichols said Wednesday night in an email that he recognizes that what he wrote was inflammatory.

"The last people I want to feel hurt or unsafe are my students. My original post — however misguided — was motivated by a fierce sense of protection for my students, and my students’ well-being is and has always been my top priority," Nichols wrote.

Officials with Bridgewater State said they recently hired a director of social media and they are considering creating a social media policy.

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