The Last Thing They Want Anybody Doing At East Georgia College
That would be thinking. Speaking one's mind is also apparently a big no-no. A professor there named Thomas Thibeault was fired by the college president after pointing out that the college's sexual harassment policy had no protection for the falsely accused. From FIRE:
Thibeault's ordeal started shortly after August 5, 2009 when, during a faculty training session regarding the college's sexual harassment policy, he presented a scenario regarding a different professor and asked, "what provision is there in the Sexual Harassment policy to protect the accused against complaints which are malicious or, in this case, ridiculous?" Vice President for Legal Affairs Mary Smith, who was conducting the session, replied that there was no such provision to protect the accused, so Thibeault responded that "the policy itself is flawed."Two days later, Thibeault was summoned to EGC President John Bryant Black's office. According to Thibeault's written account of the meeting, which was sent to Black and which Black has not disputed, Thibeault met with Black and Smith. Black told Thibeault that he "was a divisive force in the college at a time when the college needed unity" and that Thibeault must resign by 11:30 a.m. or be fired and have his "long history of sexual harassment ... made public." This unsubstantiated allegation took Thibeault by surprise. Black added that Thibeault would be escorted off campus by Police Chief Drew Durden and that Black had notified the local police that he was prepared to have Thibeault arrested for trespassing if he returned to campus. At no point was Thibeault presented with the charges against him or given any chance to present a defense. Refusing to resign, Thibeault understood that he was fired.
To take action:
Tell EGC to restore the rights guaranteed by the Constitution and the Georgia Board of Regents. Write a letter to EGC and the Board of Regents here.
CONTACT:
Adam Kissel, Director, Individual Rights Defense Program, FIRE: 215-717-3473, adam@thefire.org
John Bryant Black, President, East Georgia College: 478-289-2027, jblack@ega.edu
Erroll B. Davis Jr., Chancellor, University System of Georgia: 404-656-2202, chancellor@usg.edu
Comments
So the precise scenario which he pointed out was used to destroy him.
The policy wasn't flawed, it was intentionally designed to invite false allegations against the "impure".
Posted by: brian at September 17, 2009 5:16 AM
I have never had a tolerance for sexual harassment regardless of who is doing it or why. I do think any system needs to have checks and balances. I would guess something else hasn't occurred to Mary Smith or John Bryant Black yet. When you make one sided rules without provision for false or malicious claims, the rules can be turned against you. If a rule lets you easily hang people, you can find your own neck in the noose.
I really have to wonder if this was a mistake in the rules or if it was made just to used to "punish" people they don't want there. Sadly I doubt they made a mistake when this policy was set up. It seems to work perfectly for silencing dissent or even genuine concerns about justice.
These folks are preparing our kids for the America of the future. Don't worry about committing a crime or evidence. After all if you are accused you must be guilty.
Posted by: JD at September 17, 2009 5:59 AM
What happened to the Duke lacrosse players should have been a warning to all of higher education.
I'm certainly not anti-intellectual, but it seems some people in higher education are not as intelligent as they claim to be. I suspect Georgia is going to be writing a check to Thibeault and FIRE before this is over.
Posted by: MarkD at September 17, 2009 7:31 AM
I've been the victim of a false sexual harassment charge myself, so I know where Thibeault is at. As in his case, I was railroaded and given no opportunity to be represented or present a defense. Unlike his case, I wasn't fired outright, but it was the end of my career advancement with that company.
Posted by: Cousin Dave at September 17, 2009 7:41 AM
Meanwhile, over at Hofstra University...
http://www.newsday.com/news/hofstra-students-shocked-over-revelation-of-rape-hoax-1.1454879
Posted by: Clinky at September 17, 2009 9:11 AM
Thanks for running this Amy. This is exactly the kind of crap that is the reason behind my website.
The worst part? This isn't a rare thing.
Welcome to the Matriarchy!
Posted by: E. Steven Berkimer at September 17, 2009 10:01 AM
Is there anyone who still believes that the term "thought police" remains in the realm of fiction?
Remember, "justice" is just another one of the Patriarchy's tools to oppress women. Dispensing with it is therefore a good thing -- when it serves a man's interests.
Welcome to our Feminist Paradise, folks.
Posted by: Jay R at September 17, 2009 1:19 PM
I'm about to start TA-ing at a major university. My fellow Ph.D. students who happen to be guys (I'm a girl) are seriously, seriously worried about false sexual assault accusations. They can ruin a career so fast. No one believes the accused's denials. Half of our first T.A. training session was devoted to going through the feeble ways for the guys to try to protect themselves against false accusations. (Basically, keep your office door open at all times, avoid being alone with female students, and keep a formal tone at all times.) Our trainers told us candidly, though, that even those precautions don't really protect against the girl who crushes on a professor and takes rejection badly, or (even more common) the girl who gets a bad grade and goes out for revenge.
It's possible for a female T.A./professor to get a accusation leveled against her, too, but it's really very rare. I'm not worried about it, although I'll most likely follow the "no closing the door" rule in any case.
Posted by: Camille at September 17, 2009 9:18 PM
Our trainers told us candidly, though, that even those precautions don't really protect against the girl who crushes on a professor and takes rejection badly,
This has happened to two profs I know. I know the details of one of the cases, and only because the guy is so smart, and was able to find inconsistencies in her story, is he not spending his days at home reading novels.
Posted by: Amy Alkon 
at September 17, 2009 10:24 PM
Camille, thanks for the info. I wonder if universities are eventually going to have to go to bullpen-style accommodations (a bunch of desks all in one room) for the faculty and grads, so that no one is ever alone. Of course, that will make anything like a confidential consultation with a student impossible, but university admins seem not to care too much about actual teaching these days.
Posted by: Cousin Dave at September 18, 2009 8:52 AM
Dear Amy,
Could you get in touch with me directly because I would like to hear the stories of some of the people on advice goddess.
Cheers,
Thomas
Posted by: Thomas Thibeault at October 2, 2009 7:52 PM
Sexual Harassment Law itself was intentionally designed to invite false allegations. There's no protections for the accused. We've become absolute fools in this country. If mainstream media ever picks up on these stories maybe things could change, but apparently we'll just keep trashing males because it's the "right thing to do". My life ended 12 years ago as I knew it because of this. When are we, as a society, going to wake up? Every workplace in the US is infected with this disease, and it IS a disease.
Posted by: Rick Sansoni at November 29, 2009 11:10 AM
