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Jerry Falwell Jr Calls Concerned Parent A ‘Dummy’ For Questioning Why Liberty University Remains Open

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The president of Liberty University called a parent a “dummy” for asking why the university has not suspended classes and sent students home.

Liberty University president Jerry Falwell Jr. noted in a series of tweets Sunday that the university is “developing a plan” to protect faculty, staff and students who are “truly at risk” due to age or medical conditions. Liberty University will not, however, send students home.

“I don’t want to become one of these college presidents who are pushing this problem off on someone else by sending 20 year olds with near zero mortality risk to sit at home for the rest of the semester, often with grandparents in the house who truly are at risk,” Falwell said. 

“We are even moving classes to larger rooms, gyms, arenas, even outside when weather permits so students won’t be sitting elbow to elbow,” he added. “Meals are being staggered to minimize crowding. Convocation will be online only.”

“Many other measures are in the works. @LibertyU will become the model for others to follow in the future.”

Insurance executive and firearms dealer Jeff Brittain replied to Falwell’s tweet by noting that as the father of three Liberty University students, he believes the move is a “money grab.”

“So in 7 weeks, you’ll send the thousands of students, who now have a HIGHER risk of carrying it, back to their grandparents to get it,” Brittain tweeted. “I’m as right wing as they get, bud. But as a parent of three of your students, I think this is crazy, irresponsible and seems like a money grab.”

Nope, then they’ll go off to summer jobs or internships dummy

— Jerry Falwell (@JerryFalwellJr) March 15, 2020

Brittain, who declined a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation, responded to backlash against Falwell by tweeting, “Hey everyone. It’s cool. He’s under a lot of stress like we all are. Everyone, including me, is trying to make the best decisions and judgements for the ones we love right now. #allgood “

Falwell went on Fox News to discuss the coronavirus pandemic where he pushed an unsubstantiated conspiracy theory involving North Korea and the coronavirus and said that the coronavirus panic is driven by President Donald Trump’s opponents.

“It’s strange to how so many are overreacting,” Falwell said Friday. “The H1N1 virus in 2009 killed 17,000 people. It was not the same hype. You just didn’t see it on the news 24/7, and it makes you wonder if there’s a political reason for that.”

“Impeachment didn’t work, and the Mueller Report didn’t work, and article 25 didn’t work, and so maybe now this is their next attempt to get Trump,” Falwell added.

He also suggested coronavirus would be the “Christmas present” North Korea promised the U.S. in December 2019.

“The owner of a restaurant asked me last night. He said ‘You remember the North Korean leader promised a Christmas present for America back in December’” Falwell said. “Could it be they got together with China and this is that present? I don’t know, but it really was something strange going on.”

Falwell did not respond to a request for comment.