The president of Peralta Community College District Board of Trustees said Sunday night that a Laney College professor was placed on leave Friday after he allegedly asked a Vietnamese-American student of his to "anglicize" her name because he found it offensive.
On Sunday, board President Julina Bonilla said in a statement, "I want to acknowledge that the Peralta Community College Board of Trustees is aware of the allegation of racist remarks by an instructor to a student at Laney College regarding the pronunciation of the student's name. Consistent with his rights to due process, the instructor has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation into this matter."
The professor is Matthew Hubbard, a Laney College math professor who was placed on leave Friday after he allegedly asked a Vietnamese-American student, Phuc Bui Diem Nguyen, to "anglicize" her name because it sounded like a vulgarity and/or insult.
"I understand you are offended, but you need to understand your name is an offensive sound in my language," Hubbard allegedly wrote in an email to the student.
In Sunday's statement, board president Bonilla said district officials do not take the allegations against Hubbard lightly. "We understand the need to challenge and eliminate racism and white supremacy in all of its insidious forms, including the suppression of native cultures and languages and its demands that people of color conform to norms of 'whiteness,'" Bonilla said.
Hubbard has offered apologies to his student, but he remains on leave as of Sunday. Bonilla said in her statement. "Consistent with his rights to due process, the instructor has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation into this matter."
Here's the full statement from Bonilla:
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As President of the Peralta Board of Trustees, I want to acknowledge that the Peralta Community College Board of Trustees is aware of the allegation of racist remarks by an instructor to a student at Laney College regarding the pronunciation of the student’s name. Consistent with his rights to due process, the instructor has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation into this matter.
The Board does not take these allegations lightly. We understand the need to challenge and eliminate racism and white supremacy in all of its insidious forms, including the suppression of native cultures and languages and its demands that people of color conform to norms of “whiteness.” We remain steadfast in our commitment to stand against any and all racist and xenophobic acts as they are antithetical to our principles as individuals, our professional duty as Trustees, and closely held values to honor and support all students in the Peralta Colleges in their quest to better their lives and their communities through higher education.
We remain committed to upholding the mission and values of the Peralta Community College District: we recognize and celebrate the strengths of the diverse students, communities, and colleagues we serve; and we provide the diverse students and communities with equitable access to the educational resources, experiences, and life-long opportunities to meet and exceed their goals.
