US: Professor who demanded female students to strip in class fired

US Department of Education has concluded its inquiry into a shocking sexual misconduct incident at the Takoma/Silver Spring Campus of Montgomery College in Maryland. The investigation centered around a professor who, in 2019, brazenly asked female students to strip during class.

Under the guise of conducting a medical assessment, the professor shamelessly demanded that these young women remove their shirts, leaving them clothed only in sports bras. Such a request was utterly uncalled for, as there was no legitimate reason for clothing removal and the demand was totally unnecessary for the assessment, according toDepartment's Office for Civil Rights (OCR).

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The professor also made inappropriate comments about the students' nipples and breast positioning, and demanded the removal of lab coats worn by some students for modesty. The OCR's findings were detailed in a press release on Wednesday, reported Fox News.

College's investigation and actions taken

Following a three-month investigation, Montgomery College concluded that the professor had created a hostile environment based on sex. The professor was immediately placed on leave upon the filing of a report and was subsequently terminated. The OCR commended the college for its swift response and its mostly compliant actions with regard to Title IX guidelines.

Title IX compliance and notification

The OCR initiated its investigation in response to a student's claim that the college had discriminated against her by not promptly and equitably addressing her sexual harassment complaint.

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While the office determined that the college followed Title IX guidelines, it found that the college failed to notify affected students about the conclusion of the investigation.

Additional steps

To address the notification issue and ensure the end of a hostile environment, OCR issued a resolution agreement. The agreement mandates that the college provide written notice to all students who were in the class, informing them of the completed investigation and outlining the steps taken to eliminate the hostile environment.

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Furthermore, the college must share documentation from a 2022 campus climate survey with OCR and take necessary steps to address any relevant information from the survey.

Supportive services and student impact

Impacted students were offered supportive services such as counseling, academic assistance, and tuition reimbursement. One student expressed that she believed she failed the class due to the harassment, and the college provided her the opportunity to re-enroll in the course at their expense.

Montgomery College's spokesperson, Marcus Rosano, expressed the college's support for the determinations and resolutions outlined in the Department of Education's final report. The spokesperson declined to disclose the professor's identity in compliance with college policy regarding personnel matters.

Moreover, Montgomery County Council member Will Jawando said, "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. I think that worked."

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