Jerk of the Day: Professor Refuses to Wear FM Transmitter for Hearing Disabled Student for 'Religious Reasons'

A professor at Memorial University in St. John's, Newfoundland is refusing to assist a hearing-disabled student. She's citing 'religious reasons'.

All that is being asked is for the history professor to wear an FM transmitter so the student could hear the lectures.

The CBC has the story:

William Sears, 20, says Ranee Panjabi would not wear an FM transmitter system that he needs to hear lectures at the school in St. John's.

"I've never experienced an instructor refusing to wear the FM, both at the university and throughout public school," said Sears, a third-year history major.

"When she said she would not wear the FM system, it was effectively saying to me that 'I will not teach you' — because I need that FM system in order to hear the instructor."

It's just basically a microphone. Panjabi is not being specific about what religious reasons she has for not wearing a microphone to assist one of her students.

And it's not the first time it's happened either.

CBC says that in 1985, Panjabi was reprimanded for refusing the same service to another student with disability.