[0787] sethf@ATHENA.MIT.EDU MIT_harassment 04/24/93 23:35 (64 lines) Subject: Testimony to a case of abuse of harassment policies [This comes from the netnews group soc.feminism. To read it, type add sipb rn g soc.feminism There are several follow-ups to this posting, but in the interest of brevity I'll just put the original article here.] [Note: Normally, I would be very suspicious of an article such as this - it struck me as a bit too pat, too "staged", too much a collection of the worst nightmares involving these policies. But it is a first hand source, was approved for posting by one of the female, feminist, moderators of the newsgroup, and there is apparently a real person behind the account reading and responding to comments (lowering the chances it was a forgery). I offer it here not as an implication that all claims are of the sort described below, but solely as a counter-example to anyone who holds the belief that such horror stories cannot occur because "women just don't do things like that".] Article: 6690 of soc.feminism From: vca@msus1.msus.edu Newsgroups: soc.feminism Subject: Grades and blackmail Date: 18 Apr 1993 06:39:40 GMT Organization: Minnesota State University System Lines: 35 Sender: muffy@mica.berkeley.edu (Muffy Barkocy) Approved: muffy@mica.berkeley.edu Distribution: world Message-ID: <1993Apr16.142541.3132@msus1.msus.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: remarque.berkeley.edu Originator: muffy@remarque.berkeley.edu I am turning to this group in hopes of starting a discussion that leads to a solution. I am adjunct faculty teaching part time. Last term a woman student came to my office saying that she was unhappy with her grade and felt she deserved a higher one. When I offered to help her, she said that I misunderstood and she was going to get the higher grade. She quoted the sexual harassment guide that sexual harassment was whatever the victim felt was sexual harassment and since she was standing in my office she was being "harassed." I told her I would think about it and sought advice from senior faculty. Their advice was give her the grade (She could have earned it because she was very close.) because I would "be ruined and without a job." I gave her the grade. Students do need to be protected, but we must also make sure that grades mean more than a successful case of blackmail. Using Internet I find my student is/was not unique -- others have "raised" grades, "given in," or "felt blackmailed." Many male professors feel they have no choice but to give in and live in fear of unhappy student who seeks revenge for a bad grade using the system. They felt (I do too.) the system will assume their guilt. Even if they are able to prove the charge false, their reputations are gone. What do you suggest? How can we protect the students without continuing this open invitation? I am at a lose and thinking of leaving teaching. Valentine C. Angell Bemidji State University VCA@MSUS1.MSUS.EDU -- Post articles to soc.feminism, or send email to feminism@ncar.ucar.edu. Questions and comments should be sent to feminism-request@ncar.ucar.edu. This newsgroup is moderated by several people, so please use the mail aliases. Your