KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ A University of Missouri professor was "relieved of teaching duties" Tuesday following a comment he made to a student from Wuhan, China. A student posted the comment about putting on a mask on social media, calling it xenophobic and unnecessary.
Professor Joel Poor, a marketing professor, sent a message to his students apologizing for the disruption, according to emails obtained by The Star.
On Monday, the first day of classes, a student said he was from Wuhan, the city in central China where the new coronavirus emerged late last year.
Poor replied, "Let me put on my mask," according to a social media post by another student.
MU spokesman Christian Basi said Monday that the university was aware of the incident and that the Office for Civil Rights & Title IX was investigating.
Poor sent a message to his students Monday apologizing for the remark.
"To anyone who was offended by my comments, I sincerely apologize and I want to communicate unequivocally that I have nothing but respect and love for the Chinese people and especially my students from China," he wrote.
Basi said Tuesday that Poor was still a university employee and that he could not confirm any actions that might be related to personnel or disciplinary decisions.
Poor did not respond to requests made by phone and email for comment.
