We Have to Do Better

Normally I don't go for two posts in one day, but I feel like this is something I need to speak on.

There are few things I am more passionate about than creating safe spaces for women and girls to get what they need. Whether it is food, shelter, an education, etc, I believe that women and girls have a right to feel safe when they are seeking these things. As an educator, I do my best to be an example to my students of what a strong woman looks like. I do my best to be approachable, but I also require respect. So, I was highly taken aback when I received this email in my inbox today:

It basically says that this professor harasses female students, especially freshmen. That he takes them on as girlfriends and then at the end of the semester negotiates their grade. The email warns those reading to be careful and to tell the rector about this matter. And then asks the question, "or are you also his accomplice?"

I do not know what led the young lady who sent this email to do so, nor can I confirm her accusations. This professor works at a completely different campus than mine. However, her email just brought to light some of the bad behaviors that I have heard about on the campuses where I have worked. And it has to stop. The position of teacher/educator/professor is one of great responsibility. We have a responsibility to make our students feel safe, and part of that is making sure that we do not abuse our authority. Too often a blind eye is turned to male teachers who date their students or use their classroom as a place to get female attention. These young ladies are in our classrooms to learn. They are not here to provide us with anything. It is so frustrating to know that this behavior continues on college campuses, and that, despite students demanding to be heard, is still not taken seriously.

We owe our students better. We need to do better.

I am still not sure what else I will do with this email. My hope is that the student forwarded it to the rector and that her complaint will be taken seriously. Without having more details, it is not a fight I feel equipped to step in on any further. What I will do is continue to empower the women and girls around me to own their voices and speak up for themselves by being an example and creating safe spaces. I will also do my best to show my male students how to treat women and girls any chance I can get, as they are part of this conversation as well.

There is no easy solution to the mistreatment of women in these public spaces. There is no easy solution to the mistreatment of any marginalized people. But if we have nothing else, we have our voices. And when we bring them together, we can create change.