Gay Prof. Fired for Allegedly Telling Student He'd 'Ride Him' Academically

A gay professor from a California college was fired last month after he allegedly told a male student he would "ride him" academically, Gay Star News reports.

The student accused Rob Latham, a tenured English professor at the University of California-Riverside, of sexual harassment. The school's board of regents voted Latham out on Jan. 20.

The evidence of the alleged sexual harassment was submitted by the provost's office after the conversation between the teacher and the unnamed student.

"You're an intellectual thoroughbred, kiddo, and I've mentored very few of those in my career," Latham allegedly said. "I have to resist the impulse to ride you too hard too soon. If you'll forgive the equine metaphor."

Latham fired back at the school, however, saying the incident should have been dealt through informal mediation. He also accused the school board of "rank homophobia."

"Suffice to say it is transparently obvious that, if a heterosexual man had made the exact same statement, no lewd implication would ever have been inferred," he wrote in a post on the Academe blog. "The rhetoric of UCR's charging documents and administration counsel's briefs was rife with homophobic language and assumptions, including the myth that gay men are always "on the make," unable to relate to other males in any way except sexually."

Latham was also accused of sharing drugs with students, according to Gay Star News.

The University of California-Riverside's English department responded to Latham in a statement.

"We stand with our graduate students, and those who came forward, filed complaints and supported each other through this difficult process," the statement reads. "We are committed to moving forward with our students, and to working together to repair any and all harm done to our community and to our campus."