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James Franco's NYU Professor Fired for Giving Actor a Bad Grade?

Us Weekly – Mon, Dec 19, 2011 3:13 PM PST

Teacher's pet? Not so much.

NYU professor Jose Angel Santana claims he was wrongfully terminated for giving James Franco a low grade in his class. According to a lawsuit obtained by TMZ, Santana gave the actor a D for missing 12 of the 14 classes in the MFA course, "Directing the Actor."

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According to the site, Santana was publicly humiliated by Franco, 33, and the University itself, when people found out he gave the Oscar-nominee a near failing grade.

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Santana said he was the only professor to give Franco a bad grade. "In my opinion, they've turned the NYU graduate film degree into swag for James Franco's purposes, a possession, something you can buy," the professor said, as excerpted by TMZ.

"I did the work," Franco told Showbiz411.com last year. "I did well in everything else."

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Although not a straight-A student, the 127 Hours star graduated from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts on Tuesday with an MFA in filmmaking this May. He also has a degree in creative writing from Columbia and is currently working towards an English doctorate from Yale University. Franco has studied poetry at Warren Wilson College in North Carolina and most recently was accepted into the University of Houston's doctoral program in literature and creative writing. He'll begin his studies in Houston in fall 2012.

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1,479 comments

Qwerty Uiop • 5 months ago
If I missed that many days of class, I would get an F.
- lionheart 5 months ago
  Why was this article even written? Any student missing 12 out of 14 classes would get an "F" in a real college class. This is just typical #$%$ to tell the public these people are better than the rest of us. Post some real news!
- CC 5 months ago
  F or unofficial withdrawal.
- hapz3000h 5 months ago
  your not a hollywood actor thats more talented than the professor!!!!!! there is no excuse there is no way out of it there is nothing you can do if you go star in planet of the apes with james lithgow who is qualified to teach professor santana then you can miss 2 days of the course im sorry
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William • 5 months ago
Interesting.... so this guy is "currently working towards an English doctorate at Yale" (where I teach)... strange that he is listed neither in the roster of graduate students in the Dept of English Languages and Literature, nor in the overall university directory. Seems he is a phantom student at Yale as well as at NYU... Houston, maybe you will have a problem....
- Don in Dallas 5 months ago
  HaHa sounds like you just described Obama ! LOL
- Aaron S 5 months ago
  dur duh dur trolls
- Christopher 5 months ago
  Maybe he ordered the degree online..
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GG • 5 months ago
Are you sure he didn't get special treatment when he received a D? If he was only there for 2 of 14 classes, he deserved an F. He should feel lucky.
- N 5 months ago
  That's what I was thinking as well.
- Anonymous 5 months ago
  If he can understand and master the material by attending only 2 of the 14 classes, he still deserves a good grade.
- Chase 5 months ago
  @Anonymous, that's like saying we should cut classes all the time as long as we manage to get at least a passing grade!
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LadyBe • 5 months ago
The professor was correct in giving the grade he did. James Franco has a swelled head. If you don't attend class you should not expect a good grade. The fact that he was fluked out of the class amazes me. Only attended 2 of the 14 classes, give me a break!
- Independent Thinker 5 months ago
  THE PROFESSOR WAS WAY GENEROUS IN GIVING HIM A "D". FRANCO SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN AN "F". I can bet the professor was pressured by the school's dean to pass Franco and not fail him.
- limestone 5 months ago
  Not only was he "fluked" but he should have also flunked.
- willycrash 5 months ago
  actually college classes don't normally require that you show up, only that you do your work and pass the exams
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Olive Sorceress • 5 months ago
Unlike an MA, MS, BA, or #$%$ program, the fine arts degree (MFA or BFA) expects class participation because the student is graded on the creative process. Franco is a slacker who thought he'd slide by because he's famous and a prima donna for retaliating against the teacher.
- Don in Dallas 5 months ago
  I read the article and thought they were talking about Obama ! After all Obama missed all of his Economic Courses.
- oldsoldier001 5 months ago
  YEAH, WHAT SHE SAID.....
- hapz3000h 5 months ago
  your not a hollywood actor thats more talented than the professor!!!!!! there is no excuse there is no way out of it there is nothing you can do if you go star in planet of the apes with james lithgow who is qualified to teach professor santana then you can miss 2 days of the course im sorry
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Jacqui • 5 months ago
Gee, a D for missing 12 out of 14 classes?
Should have been an F!
Geeze, another 'celeb' crybaby.. We, the people, are SICK of you all! Go away and take Alec Baldwin with you!
greg f • 5 months ago
he should have gotten an F
CUSTOMER • 5 months ago
I attended 5 different top tier universities and all of them had attendence guidelines bordering on 'RULES'... yes, I learned this the hard way as an undergrad. If his claim is true, give him his job back and an award from the university as a hero of ethics.
Cato • 5 months ago
NYU - do the right thing on this. And James - you took the spot of a student that probably wanted in the class and was denied - then you don't show. Shame on you!
Tom • 5 months ago
One really has to question how Franco is even getting these so called degrees with all the movies he makes not to mention his role in General Hospital. Where does he find the time? When I went to college, it took all of my time to study. I get the feeling that Franco signs up for these course, doesnt show up for most of the classes but these professors pass him anyway because he is a star. That isnt fair to the students who actually are studying the course material and it actually cheapens the degree if the college's are just passing them out without the student actually doing the work.
Jennifer • 5 months ago
What a selfish entitled crybaby! I wish someone would hand me free A's because I was famous! This jackass needs to go back to acting in crappy movies and leave college to the actual students who are serious.
Billy C • 5 months ago
If you want the Grade...Go to Class....What does that tell other aspiring Actors???? if there was an attendace policy for the class, He has no leg to stand on in complaining!!!!!!!
LilyJo • 5 months ago
He's lucky he got only a D for missing 12 out of 14 classes. That's usually calls for an F.
marshall g • 5 months ago
well NUY is going to pay big for this and they should have stuck behine the teacher and let it be but know they are going to pay that man ten years worth of salary for one jackass and the Dean need to go too
J • 5 months ago
I am going to have to side with the professor on this one. It looks like Franco is collecting degrees from various universities and helping recruit prospective students rather than working hard at a degree. Maybe the professor got fed up with being part of the machine that gets lots of donations and alum prestige from students who may not deserve the diplomas. I know if I missed 12/14 classes, regardless of the excuse, I would be getting a D or an F. It's about time that students stop making so many excuses.
Lisa G • 5 months ago
As an educator, I hate seeing students just collecting credits to get the piece of paper. Aren't you supposed to learn the material? Isn't the prof there for a reason? Why sign up for the class if you can't make it to class? NYU should just give him an honorary degree and be done with it. Why are you allowing this "celebrity" to make a mockery of your institution? He gets a "D" in his grad-level course work and still gets the degree?? Gross.
lance • 5 months ago
Missed 12 of 14 classes? A peon like me would have been administratively dropped or got an F.
saratriste • 5 months ago
tip my hat to professor Santana! Maybe Franco think being an actor he can miss classes whenever he pleases.
and get an A ?!!!
bojoe • 5 months ago
I'D GIVE FRANCO A KICK IN THE #$%$.
A Yahoo! User • 5 months ago
I'm so sick of these so called celebrities.