Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By PAUL DEMARCO / Guest Columnist 

Note: This is an opinion column.

Unfortunately, two more Alabama institutions of higher learning have made negative news because of vile comments by educators.

We already had an Auburn University professor make profane attacks against law enforcement this past summer.

Now UAB and the University of Alabama are having to address recent statements made by instructors that are a stain on both universities.

First, a UAB archeology professor attacked supporters of President Donald Trump on Twitter with a post laced with profanity calling them bootlickers.

Then, a University of Alabama guest lecturer compared the United States to Nazi Germany and compared the president to Adolf Hitler. The comments came during a Student Government Association sponsored program.

We should honor the First Amendment rights for both faculty and students at our state colleges, but those that teach at these schools should be tolerant and respectful of all citizens, in addition, they should be held to a high standard of professionalism.

They should be setting an example for the students they educate that tolerance and diversity of thought are an important part of living in a democracy. Instead, this narrow-minded behavior just encourages the increasing and alarming level of intolerance of opposing views we now see on so many campuses.

And if these educators cannot show any respect for the citizens that support these state schools, then university leaders should strongly remind and reprimand them or show them the door.

Paul DeMarco is a former member of the Alabama House of Representatives.