Canadian Professor Refuses Myanmar Student Midterm Deferral Despite Web Blackout

Myanmar has endured nightly internet shutdowns for over a month since the military carried out a violent coup that has since left at least 149 people dead. But, for one university professor in Canada, that’s no excuse for uncompleted coursework. Screenshots of an outrageous email exchange posted to Reddit show the student informing his professor of the “total communications blackout” in Myanmar, and begging for a deferral of their midterm. The professor responded that “there is no deferral” and added sarcastically: “Even the internet came down with COVID-19?” The student replied that it was nothing to do with the pandemic, and that: “There was a military coup where I am living and almost 200 protesters have been shot.” The professor told the student: “The next time you miss something, it’s over.” Incredibly, the academic then questioned the student’s experience of the coup, saying: “People don’t get shot for just protesting, but for a lot deeper reasons.” The university said in a statement that “appropriate actions” have been taken, but didn’t elaborate.