College professors almost always encourage their students to speak their mind and not fear undue criticism, but in professor Shaun Narine's case, he just could not hold back.

An associate professor of political science at St. Thomas University in Canada, Narine interjected after a student's comments to a question posed by a guest lecturer, Inside Higher Ed reported. Jeffery Simpson, a columnist for the Globe and Mail asked a room of journalism and political science students why young people tend not to vote.

When a student raised her hand and said it was because many people her age found the political system complicated and do not understand various aspects. At that point, Narine raised his voice from the back of the room and said, "Read a book for God's sake."

According to Maclean's, some attendees applauded the interjection, but Narine told the magazine he was as surprised by his slip-up as many were. He said he apologized to the student and in general, but did not back down from his point-of-view.

"I was as surprised by my outburst as anybody else," he said. "I was listening to the student speak and I became increasingly frustrated with the fact that she seemed to be saying that she did not know anything about politics."

In a column published in the school's student-run newspaper the Aquinian, the author said he/she was not at the lecture, but became very disappointed to learn it was a professor who issued the remark.

"When I heard that a STU professor actually heckled a student who had voluntarily engaged herself in the political conversation, I must admit I was madder than a wet hen," the column read.

Scott Helms, a third-year journalism student at STU, wrote a letter to the Aquinian editor echoing his distaste for Narine's comment. He said he felt the student made a valid point and dismissed Narine's comment as a rude interrupter. Helms wrote he too was upset to find out it was a professor who made that interjection.

He wrote: "when it came to my attention that it was a professor here at STU, I was appalled."

Narine told Maclean's he was wrong for making his public comment, but still felt strongly that all Canadians should take it upon themselves to understand their government.

"I think the reason for my frustration was valid," he said. "But I'm not going to pretend that I don't feel strongly that our students, and Canadians in general, need to know enough about their political system that they can participate in it in a meaningful way."