A professor at Essex County College in New Jersey who boasted on television about a Black Lives Matter Memorial Day celebration excluding whites was indefinitely suspended by her college.
Lisa Durden appeared on Fox News’ Tucker Carlson Tonight on June 6, where she responded to Carlson pointing out, “the whole point of Black Lives Matter, or one of the points, would be to speak out against singling people out on the basis of their race and punishing them for that because you can’t control what your race is, and yet they seem to be doing that, explain that to me.”
Durden retorted: “What I say to that is boo, hoo, hoo, you white people are angry because you couldn’t use your white privilege card to get invited to the Black Lives Matters, all black, Memorial Day celebration.” She stated:
Memorial Day was created by black former slaves in 1865 to honor those individuals who were Union soldiers who fought and died for our freedoms so Black Lives Matter in that same vein decided to get together with black folks to honor black folks. To make sure that black folks was celebrated for being murdered by racist terrorists! …This particular day, [Black Lives Matter] said, “Stay your asses out! We want to celebrate today.” We don’t want anybody going against us today.
On June 8, when she showed up to teach at Essex County College, Jeffrey Lee, vice president for academic affairs, gave Durden a letter informing her that she was suspended “until further notice.”
Durden whined to The Star-Ledger. “They did this to humiliate me. Essex County College publicly lynched me in front of my students.” She claimed that Karen Bridgett, assistant director of Human Resources, told her someone “complained” that Burden had mentioned she taught at the college on Carlson’s show (she didn’t); Durden claimed that was the reason she was suspended.
Durden’s attorney, Leslie Farber, stated, “There’s got to be some other agenda. It seems to me they’re going to make up some reason. We’ve got to figure out what that is and why. Is she too outspoken?”
Lee told The Star-Ledger: “The college promotes a community of unity that is inclusive of all. The general counsel has handled this matter in a way that complies with New Jersey state law. I am not at liberty to provide further details.”