Professor Jung "Studying to Make Money"... Microphone Taken Away by Middle School Student

Professor Stopped and Class Canceled During Middle School Special Lecture
Middle School Student Responds, "It's Not About Money but National Revival"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] A renowned Chinese professor was stopped from giving a lecture to middle school students due to inappropriate remarks and is now under investigation by authorities.

On the 20th, according to the Chinese Communist Party's official newspaper, the People's Daily, Professor Chen Hongyou of Hefei Normal University, a famous speaker, gave a special lecture to students at Lujiang Middle School in Anhui Province on the afternoon of the 18th. When the pre-prepared PowerPoint (PPT) presentation failed to display, he improvised by saying, "The reason for studying is to make money," and added, "Money is everything." He further stated, "The purpose of studying is to combine with superior foreign genes to create stronger genes."

On the 18th, a student at Lujang Middle School in Anhui Province, China, snatched the microphone from Professor Chen Hongyou during a special lecture and refuted his claims.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

At that moment, a student suddenly climbed onto the podium and took the microphone from Professor Chen. The student countered, saying, "Professor Chen only sees money and tells us to follow money, blindly worshiping foreign countries," and added, "The reason we study hard is for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation." The students present responded enthusiastically, shouting "That's right" and applauding in support of the student's argument.

Due to this commotion, Professor Chen was unable to continue the lecture and eventually stepped down from the podium without completing his talk.

In response, state-run media stated, "Although it was wrong for the student to take the professor's microphone, it shows that students' thinking has matured and that the education method of the older generation unilaterally enforcing their views is inappropriate," defending the student. A Lujiang Middle School official also said, "The student was brave," and "He will not be punished." Netizens reacted with comments such as "A courageous act" and "He made it impossible for the professor to refute."

Professor Chen: "It was a joke to lighten the mood"

Local education authorities dispatched an investigation team to hold school officials accountable regarding Professor Chen's lecture and instructed that Professor Chen himself be investigated and appropriately dealt with. Hefei Normal University also suspended the classes taught by Professor Chen.

Regarding the incident, Professor Chen explained, "Since the PPT did not work, I made light-hearted jokes to ease the awkward atmosphere," adding, "Although some content was inappropriate, the intention was that students should work hard to change their destiny and go beyond the nation to the world." He also said, "Classes have been suspended, so I am reflecting at home."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.