By John Dempsey, WLS-AM News

(CHICAGO) A law professor at Chicago’s DePaul University is being accused of using the n-word in his class.    Crain’s Chicago Business reports that nine DePaul law students have filed a complaint against professor Donald Hermann.

The students say Hermann used the racial term in a first year criminal law class as part of a lesson on provocation and self-defense.

Hermann told Crain’s he used to term to show his students how they need to be prepared to be provoked when they are working in a courtroom.    “If this word interferes with their functioning, being a lawyer is probably not a thing they should be doing”, Hermann said.    The professor did say he regrets hurting his students and is open to using alternative language.

Crain’s reports that DePaul’s Office of Institutional Diversity & Equity will investigate the complaint.

The magazine reports that earlier in the semester, three students upset by Hermann’s use of the terms “bitch,” “faggot” and “retard” sent a letter to the law school’s assistant dean to complain about him.

@ WLS-AM News