Florida Student Suspended After Allegedly Threatening Muslim Professor [on Areej Zufari]

Marshall Polston, a Christian sophomore at Florida’s Rollins College, was suspended last week after allegedly threatening his Middle Eastern humanities professor, who is Muslim.

Polston, a 20-year-old international affairs major from Orlando, denies threatening his professor, identified as Areej Zufari, and claims he is being unjustly targeted after confronting her over her “anti-Christian” teachings and support for a “homophobic” student.

Polston accuses Zufari have harboring anti-Christian beliefs by claiming Jesus’ crucifixion was a hoax and that his disciples did not believe in God. Polston also claims Zufari did not challenge a Muslim student who said homosexuals should be decapitated under Sharia law.

Via Orlando Sentinel:

Areej Zufari, the professor, was so concerned about the behavior of Marshall Polston, 20, that she filed a “protection against stalking” request against him on Friday in Orange Circuit Court. Rollins has temporarily suspended Polston from school.

The injunction request includes a long email that Polston, a Christian, sent to the professor after he received a failing grade on an essay in the Middle Eastern humanities class.

“Quite frankly the grade you assigned to me exposes your true agenda which is to silence me in class.” the email said. “You’re one of the most incompetent professors I have ever seen in my life.”

While speaking with the Orlando Sentinel on Tuesday, March 28, Polston said he felt like he had been “religiously discriminated against” and “unfairly suspended.”

“I made absolutely no threats,” Polston said about his email.

Grant Cornwell, the president of Rollins College, said that school would “never” suspend a student for “simply disagreeing with a professor,” and that there were other factors that led to Polston’s suspension.

Cornwell said Zufari is a ‘seasoned educator’ who is also a full-time professor at Valencia College. She did not respond to the Sentinel for comment.


What Happened?

A Florida college student was temporarily suspended from Rollins College after allegedly threatening one of his professors. Marshall Polston, the accused student, denies threatening Areej Zufari and said she was harboring anti-Christian beliefs.


Who Is Marshall Polston?

Marshall Polston is a 20-year-old sophomore international affairs major at Rollins College who was suspended for allegedly threatening his Muslim teacher.


About Rollins College

Rollins College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Winter Park, Florida along the shores of Lake Virginia. Rollins is a member of the SACS, NASM, ACS, FDE, AAM, AACSBInternational, Council for Accreditation of Counseling, and related educational programs.

Founded on November 4, 1885, Rollins College has about 3,200 students.

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