GSU professor posted neo-Nazi, racist propaganda on social media, SPLC claims

ATLANTA — An investigation by the Southern Poverty Law Center claims that a Georgia State University professor posted neo-Nazi and racist propaganda on social media.

The SPLC said that Larry Coty, who teaches math at GSU’s Perimeter College, has made extensive posts on extremist websites. The human rights nonprofit featured Coty on its Hatewatch blog on Thursday.

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The SPLC launched its investigation into Coty after a tip from a former student.

The investigation found that Coty shared propaganda from a German neo-Nazi group, praised a notorious Nazi SS military unit and actively posted on Russian social media site VK.

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“Coty’s activity on Russian social media site VK included sharing a website that links to PDFs on how to build bombs, make illegal weapons modifications, and how to plan and get away with murder,” the SPLC wrote.

The SPLC spoke to Coty, who initially denied that the social accounts were his and then closed them. He later admitted that the accounts did belong to him, according to the SPLC.

“I reopened both profiles,” Coty told the SPLC. “Now that I am no longer in denial I think you may be right. I am a type of extremist.”

Coty removed the extremist content from his accounts, according to the SPLC.

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Coty told the SPLC that he is not a racist and threatened legal action against the organization.

Georgia State University released a statement about the investigation, writing:

“The extreme views attributed to this instructor clearly do not align with the university’s core values. Such views fall under First Amendment protection. The university is looking into whether any violation of policy has occurred.”

The SPLC said Coty’s posts illustrate an “alarming trend of teachers being linked to far-right extremism.”

“Classrooms are sacred spaces where students learn academic content, as well as how to act inclusively in their communities. Teachers have an ethical responsibility to model inclusive behavior for students inside and outside the classroom. Coty’s actions online violated that responsibility,” said Jeff Tischauser, senior research analyst with SPLC’s Intelligence Project.

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