Over 100 GOP lawmakers are petitioning for a University of Missouri's professor's dismissal from her job after she was documented while blocking a student journalist during a racial discrimination protest on campus. The Missouri lawmakers, who sent signed letters to the heads of the University of Missouri System, consist of 18 state senators and 99 members of the House.
Mass media assistant professor Melissa Click was recorded on camera as she sought for help in trying to make student reporter named Mark Schierbecker leave public premises.
"Who wants to help me get this reporter out of here?" Click said in the video, according to CNN. "I need some muscle over here."
The charge against Click states that the professor "failed to meet the obligations she has to her supervisors, fellow professors, University students, and the taxpayers of Missouri," when she decided to make the student reporter leave the protest.
Missouri Lawmakers are calling for the resignation of MU Professor Melissa Click, have sent a letter to MU admins. pic.twitter.com/IumcFXW4t2
— Mark Kim (@MarkJKim_) January 4, 2016
"The fact that, as a professor teaching in the communication department and school of journalism, she displayed such a complete disregard for the First Amendment rights of reporters should be enough to question her competency and aptitude for her job," the letter stated, according to USA Today.
"It should be evident that these actions are inappropriate, illegal and unacceptable for a faculty member of the University of Missouri."
Another student was involved when protesters tried to prevent him from taking photos of the protest, The Washington Post reported.
The incident that occurred on Nov. 9 last year was due to a heightened racial issue on the campus and the recent resignation of school President Tim Wolfe, according to Fox News.
