“Some of y’all might think it sucks being an anti-fascist teaching at John Jay College but I think it’s a privilege to teach future dead cops,” John Jay professor Michael Isaacson tweeted. (FOX NEWS)
A vilified Manhattan professor placed on leave for tweeting about his love for teaching “future dead cops” tried to flip the script on Saturday, claiming Mayor de Blasio is the real cop hater.
Michael Isaacson, an adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, was responding to a Friday tweet from de Blasio in which Hizzoner slammed the instructor’s “anti-police rhetoric.”
“Keep in mind this is the same @NYCMayor who was protested by that same (Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association) for balking on a 1% pay increase,” Isaacson wrote of de Blasio on Twitter. “Who’s really anti-police here?”
Karol Mason, president of John Jay College announced Friday that Isaacson, 29, was put on administrative leave, citing security concerns for students and faculty.
Police Commissioner James O’Neill, the heads of three police unions and de Blasio have all blasted the economics professor.
“New York City won’t stand for the vile anti-police rhetoric of Michael Isaacson and neither should John Jay College,” de Blasio posted on Twitter Friday.
Mason said in a statement that Isaacson would remain on administrative leave while the matter is under investigation. But that didn’t satisfy Patrick Lynch, head of the city’s largest police union. He’s demanding Isaacson be fired.
“(Students) have to suffer through an imbecile instructor like Isaacson, who spews drivel with no connection to reality,” said Lynch, president of the PBA. “We appreciate John Jay President Mason’s announcement that Isaacson has been suspended, but he needs to be fired immediately.”
John Jay College — among other disciplines — trains students for careers in law enforcement.
Isaacson claimed on Saturday that de Blasio’s outrage over the tweet was an attempt to soothe his sometimes contentious relationship with the city’s police unions.
“IDK if (de Blasio) consulted anyone before sending this out, but he really should have because he messed up big,” Isaacson wrote.
“First @NYCMayor has taken a swipe at the administrative autonomy of John Jay College and CUNY,” Isaacson wrote. “Second, @nycmayor has taken a swipe at free speech and academic freedom. Third, @NYCMayor is placating PBA with a costless symbolic demand to avoid having to meet the MATERIAL demands in contract negotiations.”
On Friday Mayor de Blasio tweeted that “New York City won’t stand for the vile anti-police rhetoric of Michael Isaacson and neither should John Jay College.” (SUSAN WATTS/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS)
A City Hall spokesman said the professor’s comments were “ignorant” and “don’t deserve a response.”
“Michael Isaacson takes apparent joy at the prospect of murdered police officers. That's not academic freedom — it's repulsive demonization,” spokesman Austin Finan said.
Isaacson couldn’t be reached for comment Saturday.
The professor’s infamous Aug. 23 tweet surfaced after the self-proclaimed anti-fascist leader appeared on Fox News Thursday. The tweet read, “Some of y’all might think it sucks being an anti-fascist teaching at John Jay College but I think it’s a privilege to teach future dead cops.”
O’Neill also slammed Isaacson’s tweet.
“As a 2x grad there, I know Michael Isaacson’s reprehensible values don’t represent @JohnJayCollege, #NYC, #NYPD or families of murdered cops,” the city’s top cop tweeted.