Blow Up Republican's

North Carolina Professor Sorry For Wanting To ‘Blow Up’ Republicans, Trustee Said More Investigation Needed

A liberal North Carolina professor who called for violence against Republicans seems to have apologized, saying he was just venting.

Last week The Free Press reported that Dan Johnson, a professor at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington School of Health and Applied Human Sciences, had in May issued a three-word grievance against the GOP: “Blow up Republicans.”

Johnson posted that on his personal Facebook page and subsequently deleted it. But a student who saw it saved it and shared it with conservative media.

Now, according to the conservative group Campus Reform, Johnson claimed he wrote the post to “blow off steam.”

“Recently, I made a mistake, and I am deeply sorry for it. I posted a poorly worded expression of political frustration on my now-deleted personal Facebook page. I profoundly regret it. This statement does not reflect my personal values or UNCW’s culture of civil and respectful discourse,” Johnson told Campus Reform in a statement shared by the school’s press office.

“My attempt to ‘blow off steam’ understandably caused concern among many students, parents, alumni, and other members of the UNCW community,” he added.

“I deeply care about the students, faculty, and staff at UNCW, and I apologize to them and the university and Wilmington community.”

Continuing, Johnson added, “I am not a person who advocates for any kind of violence toward others. Instead, I have spent my career dedicated to helping others as an educator and advocate in the field of recreational therapy, including adults and children with disabilities. I won’t soon forget the wisdom I have gained from this experience, and I humbly ask the Seahawk community to accept my apology.”

“I only want to move forward, support the mission of UNCW, and continue my teaching, research, and service for students, staff, faculty, and the Wilmington community,” he concluded.

Apparently, all those Republicans Johnson wanted blown up won’t be getting their apology.

Woody White, a member of UNC-Wilmington’s board of trustees, called Johnson’s apology “sincere and seemingly heart-felt,” but said he still wanted answers.

He told Campus Reform that the student had reported the post when it was written on May 17, that her mother followed up, and six weeks passed before the matter was publicly addressed by the school or Johnson.

White said the apology “does not put it to rest.”

The board, he said, had a “duty” to understand why the student and her family were left “to wonder what, if anything UNCW would do about such an indecent act by one of its distinguished professors.”

“Had the young lady decided against coming forward, no one would have ever learned about the potential of bias that might have otherwise gone unknown,” White added.

“To suggest that we have no further duty than merely accepting a 6-week late apology and closing the books on this case is not in keeping with our duty to advise this Administration on high-level matters of import to not only the University but also to the Wilmington community.”

Campus Reform noted that the university did publicly condemn Johnson’s steam release, calling it “absolutely reprehensible.” But that did not occur until June 25, more than a month after the student reported it.

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