Do we KNOW this?
Perhaps he did follow it.
Who could have predicted that anyone would comnplain to higher ups?
On second reading, I'm not sure.
If you read the original stories from last week, they all say that the professor "made" students stomp on the paper, and that this student was brought up on charges after complaining to the professor's supervisor.
The original stories include the part about how "Most will hesitate. Ask why they can't step on the paper. Discuss the importance of symbols in culture." Some stories go on to say that some students did so, others did not. What the articles do not say is what the professor did afterwards: did he lead them in the discussion or pressure them to stomp on the paper.
The articles only say that this student went to administrators a few days later to express his outrage, and that he was then suspended and brought up on charges of not following the professor.
It seems that the student did what the exercise expected: he refused to stomp and then discussed his reasons why. It was the separate act of complaining that the exercise overall was offensive that got him suspended. It is not clear from the stories what the professor did when the student refused and discussed. It is not clear whether the student was suspended for refusing a follow-up to stomp, or if it was retaliation for exposing the exercise and the school to public outcry.
-PJ