Chinese prof banned from classrooms over speech

An outspoken college law professor calling for constitutional rule has been banned from teaching, as the Chinese authorities tighten ideological controls, including launching an unusual assault on advocacy of constitutionalism.

An outspoken college law professor calling for constitutional rule has been banned from teaching, as the Chinese authorities tighten ideological controls, including launching an unusual assault on advocacy of constitutionalism.

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Zhang Xuezhong, a teacher at East China University of Political Science and Law in Shanghai, said he was notified last week that he is no longer qualified to teach any course at the school.

Zhang said university officials said his June article critical of anti-constitutionalism was, in fact, unconstitutional and in violation of laws regulating teachers' behaviors.

China has a constitution, but it is secondary to the Communist Party, and advocates of constitutionalism want to change that.

University president He Qinhua has declined to comment. Calls to the university's news office were not answered on Saturday.