A two-minute video – split into three parts for TikTok – appeared last Thursday featuring a Zoom recording of a physiology class at Oxnard College taught that day by Professor Michael Abram, identified in the video by name and by a student in his class .
CNN has contacted Abram several times via email and phone but has not heard anything.
When the posted video begins, it is not clear whether the professor is aware that the student, who later identifies herself as hard of hearing in the video, needs help with her hearing. CNN does not name the student because she refused to speak to us.
He asks the student, who says she can hear him a little, why she has not answered.
“Can you hear me a little bit? Asks Abram.” Then why didn’t you answer all the times I spoke to you?
The student tries to respond, but Abram keeps talking about her.
“I am hard of hearing,” she says in response to Abram.
“Why don’t we talk once? Why don’t you send me an email? We’ll set up a live Zoom and at some point we’ll really communicate,” he says. “Maybe you could bring in your counselor, okay? Can you hear me? Okay, great, do that,” he says.
After that interaction, another female student from the Zoom class says that the student is hard of hearing and cannot respond immediately.
“She’s not paying attention, she’s not trying,” says Abram.
The other student says, “It’s slower on her end because she has to get it translated and then it goes to her hearing aid.”
Abram tells the hard of hearing student to “let your counselor talk to me because you have too much distraction to even understand what’s going on.”
“Yes, because my translator is right next to me and explains everything you say to me,” she replies.
Abram suggests that the student’s translator teach her to move forward.
“Just let them teach you the whole class, that makes sense to me,” he says. “I don’t know, I don’t understand,” adding that he saw the hard of hearing student “laughing” and “giggling” with someone else and not paying attention. She replies that she is in a good mood.
Abram keeps asking her to let her “counselor” talk to him, which she agrees, but says she feels he is “attacking” her.
“I’m not attacking you, I’m not attacking you,” he says. ‘I’m just pretty disappointed in you. That’s all, that’s all. I’m not attacking you. ‘
The professor is now on administrative leave, the college said in a statement. “I am sad and outraged without words that one of our students should be disrespected or felt disrespected by one of our employees,” Acting President Luiz Sanchez said in a statement on Twitter.
The video was intended for administrators to review
Sarah Rand, a student in Abram’s class, took the original video which was then posted on TikTok by someone she described as a family friend.
Rand told CNN that she made the video with the intention of sending it to administrators to showcase the behavior and commentary she and other students saw during Abram’s classes this semester.
When asked at a news conference Monday if any previous complaints had been filed against Abram, executives said they could not comment because that is part of the investigation.
Abram was hired in the fall of 2004 as a full-time tenured professor as a biology teacher, but he has taught anatomy and physiology classes at Oxnard College, according to Art Sandford, vice president of academic affairs and student learning.
“The Ventura County Community College District is against any language or behavior that is offensive or harmful to anyone based on gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, age or disability,” Board Chairman Joshua Chancer said in the statement. “Comments in the video do not reflect the district’s values of integrity and honesty in action and word, respect and the constant pursuit of excellence.”
The National Association of the Deaf said deaf and hard of hearing students differ in what they need in the classroom, including interpreters, subtitles, and devices to assist them.
“The use of interpreters or subtitles usually results in extra time for the deaf or hard of hearing student to receive all the information and then be able to respond,” CEO Howard A. Rosenblum said in a statement. “Professors must therefore be patient and take this extra time, instead of insulting such students.”
Administrators say campuses can create learning accommodations
The investigation could take up to 90 days, Greg Gillespie, chancellor of the Ventura County Community College District, said at a news conference Monday.
“The instructor is legally entitled to a fair trial, so it is his constitutional right as a permanent civil servant and therefore he will be given paid time off until the investigation is completed and we can determine what the findings bring us,” said Laura Lizaola Barroso, vice Chancellor of Human Resources at Ventura County Community College District.
CNN has contacted the Oxnard College Academic Senate, who has a voice in student and faculty affairs.
Administrators said they told students the district has the ability to provide accommodation for any type of learning support needed. They said it’s important for students to let faculty or teaching assistance center staff know their needs.
The home school for the hearing-impaired student is Moorpark, also one of Ventura’s campuses, said administrators at the briefing. It is not uncommon for a student to take classes on other campuses, especially now that the majority of classes have shifted online due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“We know the student was affiliated with Moorpark College’s Educational Assistance Center (EAC) people. However, we are still investigating the student’s status with regard to whether or not to apply for housing for this Oxnard College class,” Gillespie said.
Administrators said they are in the process of meeting and reaching out to affected students.
Rand initially said she was concerned that sharing the video with administrators could jeopardize her graduation and her grades, but says that without the video, they wouldn’t know what happens to a faculty member.
“We hope we have created an environment where people feel comfortable coming forward so they can be addressed,” said Gillespie. “This incident is an example of where unacceptable behavior is seen in a video and we’re going to investigate it and take that seriously.”
The administration also said it was proud of the other female student who spoke on behalf of the hearing-impaired student.
Rand said she never thought the video would be received this way on social media.
“Whatever this person did, I don’t think his reputation should be buried the way millions hate him. I didn’t mean to,” she said.
“I did this to other people to show that if you see something wrong, you shouldn’t just keep still, because this is abuse taking place and it has to stop,” said Rand. ‘Do not be afraid. Stand up for the truth. ‘