A professor at Montgomery College in Maryland has been fired after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) found that he sexually harassed multiple female students during his lessons. The investigation concluded that the professor engaged in sexual harassment when he asked female students to strip off their shirts and wear only their bras during a class he was teaching. The professor’s inappropriate conduct was first reported by a student in October 2019.
According to the OCR, at least 11 female students were told by the professor to remove their shirts under the guise of conducting demonstrations and assessments. Some of the women put on their lab jackets to protect their modesty, but the professor demanded that they remove their jackets as well. He then proceeded to make inappropriate comments about their bodies and asked the students to separate their breasts for assessment purposes, even though this was unnecessary for the lesson.
Montgomery College conducted its own investigation into the claims and subsequently terminated the professor’s employment less than three months after he was placed on paid leave. The college also took steps to support the affected students, including allowing one student to re-enroll in the course and paying for her to retake the classes. They also provided tuition reimbursement or paid for at least three other students in the class to retake the course. Counseling and academic assistance were also offered to the impacted students.
However, the OCR raised concerns about the college’s failure to provide all the students involved in the incident with information about the outcome of the investigation and the professor’s termination. This raised questions about whether the college had taken enough steps to ensure that the affected students were not subjected to a hostile environment. As a result, a resolution was reached between the OCR and Montgomery College, requiring the college to notify all students in the professor’s class that an investigation was completed and that he created a hostile environment based on sex.
Additionally, the college must share the results of its Title IX climate survey with the OCR and provide a narrative summary of the steps taken to address concerns raised by the survey. This will enable officials to determine if further measures are necessary to prevent discrimination and ensure equal access to education for all students.
Montgomery College expressed its support for the OCR’s determinations and resolutions, stating that it appreciates the thorough investigation conducted by the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights. The college is committed to fulfilling its obligations under Title IX and ensuring that a safe and inclusive academic environment is maintained for its students.
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon of the DOE applauded Montgomery College for its swift response to the incident and for taking action to address the effects of the hostile environment created by the professor. Lhamon emphasized that the behavior uncovered during the investigation was categorically unacceptable under Title IX.
The Epoch Times has reached out to Montgomery College for further comment on the matter.
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