Professor Won't Teach More Classes After Saying N-Word

A professor at Simpson College who said the N-word during class will teach the rest of the course online and won’t teach again after this semester, he told the Des Moines Register. The professor, John Bolen, a retired professor of religion working part-time at Simpson, reportedly said he was trying explain to students that the Washington, D.C., pro football team name is inappropriate. In so doing, he compared it to the N-word. Students quickly objected, arguing that saying the N-word itself was unnecessary, especially as Bolen is white, according to an online transcript based on a student recording of the incident. "I wish I hadn't done it, because it communicated the wrong thing to students," Bolen told the Register. "I always believed in equal rights for humans. I've fought for that and campaigned for that." The college declined comment on Bolen, saying it was a personnel matter. Several student groups want Bolen dismissed, along with more bias training for the faculty. Simpson is planning such additional training.