In a recent development, Shellyne Rodriguez, a professor notorious for a previous incident where she held a knife to a reporter's neck, has reportedly been fired from her teaching position at Cooper Union in Manhattan. Rodriguez had previously been terminated from her role at Hunter College in New York City.

The news of Rodriguez's termination was revealed in an email she sent to students on January 23, where she stated that Cooper Union had fired her due to a social media post she made regarding "Zionists." The email was later shared on Instagram by Cooper Union Students for Justice in Palestine.

While the exact reasons for her termination from Cooper Union are unclear, it is believed that her participation in a virtual panel discussion last month may have played a role. During the panel, Rodriguez spoke about the possibility of a rent strike involving Jewish landlords or landlords who support Israel. Her remarks were widely condemned as anti-Semitic.

In addition to her controversial statements regarding Israel, Rodriguez also referred to former Bronx Borough President Rubén Díaz Jr. as a "roach" and a "Zionist lapdog" on her personal Instagram account.

The termination of Rodriguez has been met with mixed reactions. Jeffrey Lax, a CUNY law professor and co-founder of Students and Faculty for Equality at CUNY, expressed relief on behalf of Jewish students at Cooper Union, describing Rodriguez's comments as "despicable."

However, some have criticized the university for not taking action earlier, considering Rodriguez's previous incident involving the knife held to a reporter's neck. The incident occurred when a reporter from the New York Post sought comment from Rodriguez about her confrontation with pro-life students at Hunter College. She later pleaded guilty to harassment and menacing in connection with the incident.

The firing of Rodriguez from Cooper Union also follows months of tension between pro-Palestinian protesters and Jewish students at the institution. Reportedly, there were instances of pro-Palestinian protesters banging on the windows of the school library while Jewish students were present.

Cooper Union has not provided any official comment on Rodriguez's termination, but her name has been removed from the faculty page on the college's website.

As the controversy surrounding Rodriguez continues, questions arise about the boundaries of free speech and the importance of fostering respectful and inclusive dialogue on college campuses.