University of Virginia professor goes on leave after comparing Black Lives Matter to KKK

A University of Virginia professor is taking a leave of absence after his remarks on Facebook comparing Black Lives Matter to the Ku Klux Klan caused a stir.

Commenting on a post highlighting Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza’s recent trip to Charlottesville, Douglas Muir, who lectures at the UVa. School of Engineering, said Black Lives Matter is the biggest racist organization since the Ku Klux Klan.

“Are you kidding me. Disgusting!!!” Mr. Muir wrote, as reported by The Cavalier Daily. 

The post, which has since been deleted, was spotted by Charlottesville resident Joe Starsia, who took a screenshot of it and petitioned the university to take action.

“It is unacceptable for one of your lecturers to be comparing [Black Lives Matter] to the Klan,” Mr. Starsia wrote in a tweet to the university’s Darden School of Business.

The comment prompted a response from the engineering school, which said Mr. Muir had agreed to take a leave of absence.

“A recent comment regarding the Black Lives Matter movement, posted on social media by Doug Muir, a lecturer in our school, has raised serious concerns about UVA Engineering’s commitment to diversity, inclusion and support of populations that are traditionally underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics,” the engineering school said in a statement.

“Our faculty and staff are responsible for upholding our values and demonstrating them to students and the community,” it said. “Mr Muir has agreed to take leave and is preparing his own statement to the community.”