The mad professor! The White University of Central Florida academic is convicted of donning a brown face, beard and fez hat for video lectures on historical figures from the Middle East and North Africa
- A professor at the University of Central Florida is in hot water after videos of his online lectures showed he appears to be using brownface
- Kenneth Hanson is an Associate Professor in the school’s Judaic Studies Program, he also has a website advertising himself as “Jerusalem Jones”.
- His biography describes himself as: “Passionate about his exploration of antiquity, Dr. Hanson his ecumenical message beyond the scientific frontiers.”
- The photos show him dressed up as Indiana Jones, more or less, but it’s some of his videos that really got him in trouble
- In the lectures, he wears brown makeup to darken his skin, wears traditional Middle Eastern clothing, and appears with an exaggerated beard and voice
A Florida professor has sparked fury by donning a “brown face” and traditional Middle Eastern and North African garb for instructional videos.
Kenneth Hanson — an associate professor of Jewish studies at the University of Central Florida — has outraged some of his students with the clips.
They appear on his YouTube channel. One shows him with brown facial makeup, a fake beard, and flowing white robes.
Another clip that angered students showed him in brown makeup, wearing a fez hat and holding a handful of scrolls, with the background depicting what appeared to be a traditional Moroccan souk.
Hanson also speaks in an exaggerated voice in many clips, much to the chagrin of some on campus.
Kenneth Hanson, a professor of Jewish Studies at the University of Central Florida, angered many students by drawing such looks for the clips
Another clip shows Hanson with dark facial makeup and a fez hat as he clutches behind him a set of scrolls with a traditional Moroccan souk background
The videos will be posted on a public website alongside his curriculum.
One of Hanson’s students, who asked not to be identified, told Fox35: “It’s 2022. I feel like I’m in a class in the 1960s. It makes no sense.
“I first noticed his practices with dark makeup and costumes, and his emphasis on role-playing as historical figures in his lecture videos, and that’s when I realized for the first time that this is definitely something that’s inappropriate and wrong is.”
Syria Lutfi, the president of the university’s Palestinian student union, said of the videos: “To know that this guy works here at an institution that I pay so much money for and am so proud of is so hurtful to watch.
“It is so hurtful to see that I have to go on the same campus where this man roams posting videos like this and teaching students making fun of my culture.”
The student, who made his complaints public, wants an apology from Hanson and an explanation from the university as to why he was allowed to make the videos.
Hanson has faced Heat in the past when an anonymous student complained in 2018 about his “derogatory and stereotypical portrayal of cultures and religions.”
UCF’s Office of Institutional Equity said at the time: “Dr. Hanson has not improperly represented cultures that are not his own, or even those that belong to him.’
A student complained against Hanson again in 2021, according to FOX 35, and apparently the professor was told by the university to stop darkening his skin.
One of Hanson’s students, who asked not to be identified, said that watching the videos made them “feel like they were in a class in the 1960s. It makes no sense’
Hanson has faced Heat in the past when an anonymous student complained in 2018 about his “derogatory and stereotypical portrayal of cultures and religions.”
The university responded to the new complaints in a statement: “We acknowledge that this content was offensive to some members of the UCF community.
“The videos related to the complaints have been removed from the courses by Dr. Hanson and he is working with his department head and the students to address further concerns about the course content.”
Hanson has authored nine books on the Middle East. If he’s employed, the college can’t fire him for whatever he does on his YouTube channel. All videos previously posted on his site have been removed.
Kenneth Hanson is an Associate Professor in the school’s Judaic Studies Program, he also has a website advertising himself as “Jerusalem Jones”.
His biography states: “Delighted by his exploration of antiquity, Dr. Hanson extended his ecumenical message beyond the scholarly frontiers in which they were once imprisoned.
“His appearances on syndicated radio and national television (The History Channel) have brought age-old glimpses into everyone’s world.”
The photos show him dressed up as Indiana Jones, more or less, but it’s some of his videos that really got him in trouble.