Beijing Institute of Technology dismisses teacher over serious professional ethics violations

Beijing Institute of Technology has dismissed a teacher after an investigation found serious violations of professional ethics and conduct standards, the university said in a statement on Tuesday.

The university said it recently received information concerning a teacher surnamed Pei and immediately set up a special working group to conduct a comprehensive investigation.

The investigation confirmed that Pei had seriously violated professional ethics and codes of conduct for teachers, causing a serious negative impact, according to the statement.

The university decided to revoke Pei's qualification to supervise postgraduate students, remove Pei's eligibility to hold a teaching position at the university and terminate the employment relationship.

The statement did not specify which remarks or actions by Pei were found to have violated professional ethics and conduct standards.

Beijing Institute of Technology said it has "zero tolerance" for violations of teachers' professional ethics and will take strict action once misconduct is verified.

The university said it will further strengthen long-term mechanisms governing professional ethics, improve education and teaching management, enforce classroom discipline and maintain a sound educational environment.

The case has drawn widespread attention online, with topics related to Pei remaining on Weibo's trending list on Tuesday evening.

According to accounts circulated by several self-media outlets, the controversy began in late September after Pei posted a message in a group for students selecting an elective course.

"This course has a certain 'chocolate' quality and may make some students uncomfortable. If you are here simply for credits or to watch the excitement, there is no need to continue, and I suggest dropping the course early," the message said.

Some students reportedly interpreted the reference to "chocolate" as an indirect insult aimed at male students who held different views, drawing on an online joke about chocolate being toxic to dogs. The interpretation subsequently sparked debate on social media.