Professor Lisa Durden Fired After Black Lives Matter Interview On ‘Tucker Carlson’

Lisa Durden, a political commentator who argued with Tucker Carlson on Fox News earlier this month, has been fired from her adjunct professor position with Essex County College.

Durden appeared on Carlson’s show, Tucker Carlson Tonight, to discuss a Black Lives Matter chapter’s decision to host a Memorial Day event exclusively for black people.

Defending the chapter’s decision, Durden said, “Boo-hoo-hoo. You white people are angry because you couldn’t use your ‘white privilege’ card to get invited to the Black Lives Matter’s all-black Memorial Day celebration. Wow.”

With his brows furrowed, looking confused, as Carlson does often when he disagrees with a guest, the host said, “Woah, woah, Lisa.” After interrupting Durden, Carlson said, “You’re attacking people on the basis of their race.”

The heated exchange continued with both guest and host interrupting the other and raising their voices respectively.

At one point, Carlson said, “You’re demented, actually. You’re sick and what you’re saying is disgusting and if you were a Nazi I would say the same thing to you.”

“Luckily, I’m not a Nazi,” Durden joked.

The segment ended with Durden saying that she will see Carlson again on his show because “ratings are going up.”

Less than 48 hours after the interview aired, Durden was suspended from her position with Essex County College, a community college in New Jersey. Soon after, she was fired.

Newly appointed Essex County College President Anthony Munroe defended Durden’s termination in a statement on Friday.

“The college was immediately inundated with feedback from students, faculty, and prospective students and their families expressing frustration, concern, and even fear that the views expressed by a college employee – with influence over students – would negatively impact their experience on campus,” said Munroe.

“I fully believe that institutions of higher learning must provide a safe space for students.”

He continued, “The character of this institution mandates that we embrace diversity, inclusion, and unity. Racism cannot be fought with more racism.”

Durden has publicly stated that she feels that her termination is wrong, saying that she never identified with the college and that she was just exercising her right to free speech.

Durden still had a week left of the summer session class she was teaching and was scheduled to teach in the fall.

“I was publicly lynched,” Durden told The Washington Post. “They didn’t let me finish the class and they disrupted the learning process.”

While she defended her right to free speech to the paper, she also apologized for some of her words.

Said Durden, “I will apologize if a person assumed I meant all white people. I never meant all white people. All white people aren’t racist.”

Watch Durden’s interview with Carlson below.