By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Sources have reported that an adjunct faculty member at George Mason University was fired after drinking alcohol with undergraduate students during a class presentation. An internal investigation, along with a police investigation, was launched after reports that one student passed out and required EMS assistance. The incident involved students in a 400-level course, with the instructor allegedly encouraging students to bring alcohol. The university confirmed the faculty member’s termination, citing policy violations, and is reaching out to all students taught by the instructor this semester while investigating further reports of inappropriate behavior.
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GMU lecturer fired for drinking in class with undergrads, sources say, and it’s a situation that has a lot of people talking.
It seems the story in a nutshell is this: a GMU lecturer was let go after allegations surfaced that he’d been drinking alcohol with undergraduate students during class time, and things escalated to the point that at least one student needed emergency medical attention. Sounds pretty straightforward, right? Well, it’s not as cut-and-dried as it may seem.
Plenty of people have shared anecdotes about professors who enjoyed a beer with their students, especially in less formal settings, like a final class get-together or after an exam. It’s pretty common in college; it happens. Some have recalled similar experiences, sometimes even in grad school, where the atmosphere was more relaxed and the legal drinking age was a non-issue. The stories range from a simple toast at the end of a semester to informal gatherings at a professor’s home, where a drink or two was shared.
But this particular situation appears to have crossed a line. From the reports it doesn’t sound like a casual after-class social event. It took place during scheduled class time in the classroom. This means it wasn’t just a friendly gesture, but a conscious decision by the professor to introduce alcohol into a formal academic environment. This is a big no-no.
The issue isn’t necessarily that the professor was drinking with students – though that’s certainly a factor. It’s the context. Schools usually have rules about alcohol on campus, and classroom instruction is certainly not a place to host a happy hour. The incident reportedly caused one student to require medical assistance. That’s not a good look and really moves this from “a few drinks” into “serious problem” territory.
You could argue that the students are adults, and therefore responsible for their own actions. You could. However, the professor as the instructor in charge is responsible for what goes on during instructional time. They are the ones in a position of authority and they are the ones likely to shoulder the blame if things go south.
The situation also highlights the potential risks when alcohol and educational settings mix. Even if the students are of legal drinking age, it’s a volatile mix, and as this situation highlights, it doesn’t always end well. Sure, some students may have been fine, but one person’s actions or inactions can have real consequences.
There’s some disagreement on who bears the responsibility. Some feel the student, who overindulged, is to blame. Others maintain that the professor, who provided the alcohol and was in a position of authority, should shoulder the responsibility. Most agree that providing alcohol during class time is not smart, especially when it results in a situation requiring emergency medical services.
The response to this incident also brings up the complex issue of treating college students as adults. Many believe the university should address this directly. There are those who feel that if you’re of legal drinking age, then you should be treated as a responsible adult. However, there’s also the counter-argument that college students, regardless of their age, are still young, and in some ways, inexperienced.
Ultimately, this situation boils down to a question of responsibility and judgment. The professor made a questionable choice, and it had a very real, and negative, consequence. While it may not have been the intention, things went too far. It looks like the professor made a series of bad decisions, and he is paying the price.