A UCLA Professor has been placed on leave after he rejected requests to allow black students to take final exams at a later date as a response to the death of George Floyd and black lives matter protests.

Accounting lecturer Gordon Klein responded to the requests by noting “Remember that MLK famously said that people should not be evaluated based on the ‘color of their skin. Do you think that your request would run afoul of MLK’s admonition?”

“Thanks for your suggestion in your email below that I give black students special treatment, given the tragedy in Minnesota,” Klein, who has been at UCLA for 39 years, wrote in an email to students.

“Do you know the names of the classmates that are black? How can I identify them since we’ve been having online classes only? Are there any students that may be of mixed parentage, such as half black-half Asian? What do you suggest I do with respect to them? A full concession or just half?” he responded, before quoting MLK.

UCLA has given in to the mob. They’ve reassigned Professor Gordon Klein’s classes and put him on leave because he denied a request that he grade Black students more favorably than other students. The student who requested this isn’t even Black. Insanity. https://t.co/77QwfsJ1n8

— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) June 10, 2020

In response, more than 20,000 people have signed a petition that demands UCLA officials fire Klein.

The petition suggests that Klein’s email violates UCLA’s “holistic” and “inclusive” values.

“We ask for your support now in holding Professor Klein to the same ethical standards he claims to be essential to a holistic and inclusive educational experience, which is what he owes to his students as an educational leader,” it reads.

“We, the students, refuse to support Gordon Klein any further and demand to see his employment terminated as soon as possible.” it adds.

The Free Beacon reports that Klein is now under police protection after threats of violence.

A counter petition has been set up to defend Klein, and has received almost double the signatures the one against him has:

So @UCLA placed Gordon Klein on leave, pending termination, for not giving non-white students a different grading criteria for his class. If you're tired of the nonsense, and think dude should get brought back to his job, then sign this petition: https://t.co/vYQRboP8k1 pic.twitter.com/Df7uogLwgW

— Greg Hoyt (@GregHoytLET) June 9, 2020

The incident is not an isolated one, with reports from elsewhere in the country that black students are demanding they be given leniency or just better grades in light of current events.