A professor at a prominent art school in New York City has been terminated from her position following a series of troubling incidents. Shellyne Rodriguez, a 46-year-old part-time teacher at Hunter College and the School of Visual Arts, engaged in confrontations with pro-life students and even threatened a reporter with a machete.
The chain of events unfolded in early May when Rodriguez verbally attacked students who were staffing a pro-life kiosk within the university premises, using obscenities and causing damage to the exhibit. Matters escalated further when she brandished a machete and threatened a reporter who had visited her Bronx apartment to inquire about the incident. The reporter and his colleague were fortunately able to leave without harm.
In response to Rodriguez’s actions, Hunter College promptly condemned her behavior and took swift action. College spokesperson Vince Dimiceli stated that Rodriguez has been relieved of her duties at Hunter College with immediate effect and will not be returning to teach at the school.
It was also revealed that Rodriguez had previously been detained during the George Floyd protests in 2020 and is currently involved in a lawsuit against the NYPD. In her lawsuit, she alleges mistreatment by police officers, including physical assault and the subsequent detrimental effects on her artistic abilities due to nerve damage sustained during her arrest.
The recent incident involving Rodriguez began when a video surfaced of her visiting an exhibit at Hunter College meant to educate the public. She expressed strong dissent, engaging in profanity-laden remarks and aggressively removing materials from the pro-life students’ table.
While some individuals, such as the group CUNY for Abortion Rights, have defended Rodriguez’s actions as “constructive criticism,” conservative and pro-life groups have expressed outrage. The situation has caused significant fallout and division among different factions.
Following an interview with the provost and the dean of diversity and campus relations at Hunter College on May 12, Rodriguez’s dismissal was officially announced on Tuesday, coinciding with the incident involving the reporter.
The incidents involving Shellyne Rodriguez have raised concerns about appropriate behavior within an educational environment and the need to maintain respectful and inclusive discourse.
