A disconcerting incident of alleged sexual harassment at the Takoma/Silver Spring Campus of Montgomery College in Maryland has recently been brought to light by the U.S. Department of Education.
A professor, whose identity remains undisclosed due to college policy, instructed his female students to disrobe in class in 2019, instigating an investigation into his actions.
In a distressing twist to an otherwise routine class, the professor asked the female students to remove their shirts and don their sports bras to conduct a medical assessment.
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) noted in a press release that the said medical examination did not necessitate any disrobing, nor did it justify the professor’s subsequent remarks about the students’ nipples and breast positioning. Adding to the discomfort, the professor refused the students’ attempts to cover themselves with lab coats for modesty.
Following a thorough investigation spanning three months, the college administration affirmed that the professor’s behavior was responsible for creating a hostile, sex-based environment in his classroom.
He was placed on leave immediately after the issue came to light and subsequently terminated, as per the OCR’s statement.
The OCR’s involvement originated from a student’s claim that the college had not responded promptly and equitably to her sexual harassment complaint, thus raising allegations of discrimination on the basis of sex.
Upon concluding its inquiry, the OCR noted that Montgomery College had indeed followed Title IX regulations but had faltered in notifying all affected students of the investigation’s outcome.
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon applauded Montgomery College’s quick and efficient response to the disturbing issue. However, she deemed the underlying facts as “galling and categorically unacceptable under Title IX.”
“The shameful underlying facts in this investigation — of a college professor subjecting his entire class to sexual harassment as a condition of instruction — are galling and categorically unacceptable under Title IX,” she said.
“I appreciate the additional commitment Montgomery College made to fulfill its remaining obligation under Title IX to ensure that the discriminatory effects end for all its students,” she continued.
The college offered support services including counseling, academic aid, and tuition reimbursement to the affected students, going the extra mile to ensure their well-being.
One particular student, who believes her academic performance was hampered by the harassment, was compensated by the college for her re-enrollment in the course.
Despite these corrective actions, the OCR asserted that more steps needed to be taken for the institution to fully comply with Title IX.
A resolution agreement issued by the OCR demanded that the college provides a written notice of the completed investigation to all the students who were in the class. This step aimed to guarantee that the college had taken the requisite measures to ensure that a hostile environment would not persist for those affected.
Marcus Rosano, Montgomery College’s lead spokesperson, thanked the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights for their thorough investigation.
“We appreciate the thorough investigation conducted by the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights in regards to this matter,” Rosano said in a statement. “The College fully supports the determinations and resolutions outlined in its final report, made public this week.”
In response to the belatedly reported incident, Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando expressed surprise and relief at the outcome.
“I do think the most important thing happened when this horrible sexual harassment happened, the person was removed immediately when the complaint came in and they were shortly thereafter fired,” he said. “I think that worked.”