A third Collin College professor who publicly criticized the school has been dismissed. This time it’s one of the more outspoken faculty members, history professor L.D. Burnett.
The college sent Burnett an email Thursday afternoon saying her contract would not be renewed. It included the words "insubordination," and "maintaining a disruptive-free working environment," suggesting Burnett broke both professional rules and Collin College's standards.
Two other women who teach at the school were also told earlier this month their contracts would not be renewed. They, like Burnett, had criticized the college's COVID-19 response.
Burnett said the administration is hiding behind those accusatory words because they don’t like her and her colleagues who were let go earlier this month.
“It seems that the administration feels flummoxed by women who’ve been singled out and punished for our speech and who dare to keep talking,” Burnett said. “That’s what it is.”
For months Burnett, and others, demanded Collin College publish a COVID dashboard — showing COVID-19 cases among Collin College faculty, students and staff — which it finally did.
Other colleges had already been publishing online dashboards for months.
Last fall, Burnett also criticized college district President Neil Matkin, who did not like one of her tweets about then VicePresident Mike Pence. In a college wide faculty memo, Matkin condemned the language Burnett used.
KERA has requested comment from the college for this story but hasn’t received a reply.
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