MUNCIE, Ind. (WISH) — Ball State University said Wednesday that marketing professor Shaheen Borna “will not be teaching in classes for the remainder of the semester.”
Borna called police Jan. 21 after Ball State senior Sultan Benson refused to switch seats during class. The university and the professor previously have declined to talk about the incident. A minute-long video clip of two Ball State University Police Department officers entering the classroom and questioning the student went viral within hours.
Benson has accused Borna of singling him out for “unfair treatment” because he’s black. The student body had called on school leaders to punish Borna for violating the code of conduct, specifically falsely reporting an emergency.
Ball State President Geoffrey Mearns previously issued a statement that called Borna’s actions an unwarranted overreaction.
On Wednesday, Kathy Wolf with marketing and communications for Ball State provided a statement from the university in response to an email inquiry Wednesday from WISH-TV. The statement relayed Borna’s status and added, “This decision is in the best interest of Dr. Borna and University. The decision was made to ensure continuity in the curriculum, eliminate any unnecessary distractions, and help our students complete the appropriate course expectations.”
Wolf did not reply to a question from WISH-TV about who made the decision about Borna no longer teaching classes.
(PHOTO: WISH-TV)
