Mike Pesca, host of the Slate.com podcast The Gist, has reportedly been suspended after he debated with colleagues whether non-Black people should be allowed to quote certain racial slurs.

According to The New York Times, Pesca, who is white, was suspended indefinitely after debating via Slack regarding Times reporter Donald McNeil, who was recently suspended for repeatedly using a racial slur during a 2019 student trip.

Pesca reportedly argued there were contexts in which the slur could be used. the Times reports Dan Check, Slate's chief executive, ended the discussion.

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“While I can’t get into specific allegations that are under investigation, I can confirm this was not a decision based around making an isolated abstract argument in a Slack channel," Slate spokeswoman Katie Rayford told the Times.

Rayford also confirmed an investigation has been opened.

“I hate the idea of things that are beyond debate and things that cannot be said,” Pesca said, according to the Times.

In 2019, Slate reportedly introduced a policy that requires on-air staff to discuss the use of racist terms before recording podcasts.