A University of Central Florida associate professor will return to work despite being fired last year for his thoughts on “Black privilege,” Clickorlando.com reports.

Associate Professor of Psychology Dr. Charles Negy fought against claims of misconduct after he tweeted that “Black privilege is real” in 2020. When the message was shared to social media, it prompted many students to call on the university to terminate him.

“I tweeted some things that offended people and so the mob, the social [media] mob descended upon UCF demanding I be fired,” said Dr. Negy.

According to him, the basis of being a good professor is to challenge students’ beliefs. He also shared that he loves controversial topics.

“Besides affirm, action, special scholarship, and other set asides, being shielded from legitimate criticism is a privilege,” Dr. Negy continued in the now-deleted tweet.

Much like all aspects of life, the education system has never really been set up for Black people to win. From segregated conditions in schools to the systemic racism that is still rooted in banning curriculum like critical race theory from classrooms, many students were triggered by Dr. Negy’s comments about privilege when the community is often met with barriers simply for attempting to learn.

A study shared this year revealed that Black and African American college graduates owe an average of $25,000 more in student loan debt than White college graduates.

After he was terminated, he took it upon himself to challenge the school’s reasoning which said that his “unacceptable professional conduct” resulted in “a complete loss of the trust the university must place in its faculty.”

For him, it was more than just the controversial tweet that led to the university’s decision to cut ties with him. He notes that it just gave officials at the institution a reason to do what they already wanted to do.

“Just because you’re offended by what is being said – because you disapprove of it- that does not constitute harassment or discrimination,” said Dr. Negy.

While the official date that he is set to return to the school has yet to be determined, he says that people will “find out soon” as to whether or not he aims to sue the school following the reinstatement.