A chemistry professor at Middlebury College in Vermont has taken a leave of absence after reports surfaced that he asked his students to calculate the lethal dose of gas used by Nazis during the Holocaust.
Jeff Byers asked students in a written exam to calculate the lethal dose of hydrogen cyanide gas, which was a substance used during World War II at Nazi extermination camps to execute Jewish people and other prisoners.
Middlebury is conducting an investigation for possible misconduct. In a statement earlier this month, Middlebury President Laurie Patton condemned Byers.
“This inexplicable failure of judgment trivializes one of the most horrific events in world history, violates core institutional values, and simply has no place on our campus,” she said. “We expect our faculty to teach and lead with thoughtfulness, good judgment, and maturity. To say we have fallen short in this instance is an understatement.”
An inquiry into Byers’ past examinations revealed a question that made reference to the Ku Klux Klan that was “gratuitous and offensive.”
Byers issued an apology saying he would “spend the following months reflecting deeply on the choices” he has made.
“I can offer no explanation for my actions other than carelessness and hubris,” he said. “I apologize without equivocation to the students, faculty, and staff of Middlebury College and to the parents and alumni who, rightly, have denounced my actions.”
The Washington Examiner asked Middlebury College for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
