Rollins lifts student’s suspension following controversy

A Rollins College student is back in school after being suspended over an incident that took place last month between him and a professor. 

The incident originated from a dispute between student Marshall Polston and professor Areej Zufari in a Middle East humanities class regarding the crucifixion of Jesus. 

Polston was reportedly suspended for poor treatment of his professor, despite claiming he had felt religiously discriminated against and silenced in class, according to emails sent to Zufari after she gave him a failing grade on a paper. 

“The grade you assigned to me exposes your true agenda, which is to silence me in class,” Polston wrote in an email to Zufari. “It’s really cowardly of you to shut me down in the middle of class or lie to the dean, but I should be careful when saying that because that would be insulting to cowards.”  

But an injunction filed by Zufari shows a potential history of Polston allegedly harassing her. 

The injunction claims she was being physically stalked and cyber-stalked by Polston. Other records attached to the injunction claim Polston was disruptive in class and continuously mentioned references to guns when contacted by Hamilton Holt School Associate Dean Meribeth Huebner regarding the earlier grade dispute. 

Rollins College officials are standing in support of Zufari. 

“Our practice is to not comment on such issues, but the student’s decision to make this matter public has forced us to set the record straight,” college officials said in a prepared statement. “The student’s claim that a classroom discussion with his professor regarding religious differences caused disciplinary actions to be taken are simply untrue.  

“Rollins College has a legacy of being welcoming and respectful of all religious and cultural beliefs,” the statement read. “The student’s public tactics and statements have grossly misrepresented his experience, the daily practices of this college and the teaching methods of a professor. It is unfortunate that so many have been so quick to believe something so far removed from our reputation and core principles.”