Duke professor issues apology to Chinese speakers

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — The Duke University professor and administrator who sparked an outcry by admonishing students for speaking Chinese has issued a personal apology amid an internal review by the school.

Megan Neely has stepped down as graduate studies director in the medical school’s biostatistics master’s degree program.

She apologized to students in the program in an email on Sunday. The apology came two days after she sent a message to a student email list urging students to commit to speaking English and suggesting possible consequences for those who didn’t.

Neely remains an assistant professor. In her apology Sunday, she said she regretted “the hurt my email has caused.”