Rutgers Prof Accused Of Anti-Semitism Teaching Graduate Course

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — A Rutgers professor under review for multiple Facebook posts he made criticizing Jews and Judaism will finish out the semester teaching one remaining graduate-level course, but he still faces a slew of disciplinary actions, including being suspended without pay.

Patch previously reported on the numerous anti-Semitic posts from Michael Chikindas, a microbiology professor at Rutgers' department of food science and who was also the director of the Rutgers Center for Digestive Health.

His Facebook page was deleted, but the university confirmed in November they are investigating his posts, many of which featured anti-Semitic cartoons and one that described Judaism as "the most racist religion in the world." He also questioned the 6 million Jews killed in the Holocaust and made homophobic comments, saying Israel has "one of the highest percentages of gays in the world."

Rutgers said it has finished its review and that Chikindas has been removed from teaching any new classes next semester.

"Professor Chikindas is currently teaching a graduate course that is not required. He will not be teaching any courses next semester," university spokeswoman Dory Devlin told Patch. "The courses he was previously scheduled to teach are required at the undergraduate or graduate level."

But Chikandas' fate is still pending a full disciplinary review. That review is required by the bargaining agreement with Rutgers’ faculty union, as Chikandas is a tenured professor and part of the union. Pending the outcome of that hearing, he could be suspended for a semester without pay.

If he ever does return to the classroom, Chikindas will also have to undergo a cultural sensitivity training program. One Rutgers student, Miriam Waghalter, who is Jewish, started this Change.org petition to have Chikindas fired. So far, more than 5,000 people have signed it.

First reported by Israellycool.com — which has many screenshots of his now-deleted posts — Chikindas allegedly wrote on Facebook: "Israel is the terrorist country aimed at genocidal extermination of the land's native population, Palestinians," and added: "We must not forget that the Armenian Genocide was orchestrated by the Turkish Jews who pretended to be the Turks."

He also shared an interview with Christopher Bollyn, who claims American Jews and Israel orchestrated the 9/11 attacks, and then allegedly wrote: "These jewish motherf*****s do not control me. They can go and f**k each other in their fat a***s — you see, I really do not have anything to loose (sic), hence nothing to be controlled."

He also allegedly called first lady Melania Trump and Ivanka Trump "sluts" on Facebook.

Chikindas has previously said his Facebook page was hacked. In an interview with The Algemeiner, Chikindas said he is not anti-Semitic and that he was once married to a Jewish woman and had a child with her. He also said he has 25 percent Ashkenazi Jewish lineage himself.

Photo of Chikindas via Rutgers website; http://foodsci.rutgers.edu/chi...