Fireplace academics for misconduct with college students: group

• By Chen Cheng-yu / Workers reporter

Humanistic Schooling Basis officers on Friday known as on the federal government to dismiss academics discovered to have sexually harassed college students, citing a case by which an accused instructor solely acquired a six-month suspension and will return to their job.

Basis members had been joined by Democratic Progressive Celebration Legislator Fan Yun (范雲) at a information convention in Taipei, calling for legal guidelines to be up to date in order that sexual offenders are appropriately disciplined and banned from educating.

Basis government director Joanna Feng (馮喬蘭) mentioned that proof and testimony from victims indicated {that a} junior-high faculty instructor in Yilan County had enticed college students right into a romantic relationship with them.

Photograph: CNA

“Beginning in 2019, this instructor lured college students right into a relationship, utilizing suggestive language and sexual harassment habits,” Feng mentioned.

The instructor allegedly requested a feminine scholar to have dinner with them, provided the coed rides, accompanied her to locations, talked to her on the phone every day and held her hand whereas strolling collectively, Feng mentioned.

One scholar mentioned that she had refused items from the instructor on Valentine’s Day, however they nonetheless positioned sweets into her pencil case, and allegedly instructed her: “Your eyes are very large and exquisite,” Feng mentioned.

The instructor additionally allegedly instructed her: “I actually such as you,” and “I’m residing inside your coronary heart,” amongst different issues, Feng added.

An investigation by the college’s gender-equality committee decided that the instructor had sexually harassed the coed, however different academics, native councilors and training officers tried to guard the offender and interfered within the investigation, and pressured the college to provide the instructor a lenient punishment, Feng mentioned.

“In the long run, regardless of the instructor having for a number of years dedicated severe violations in opposition to a number of scholar victims, the committee solely issued a six-month suspension,” Feng mentioned. “Which means that the instructor can return to the college and proceed to show, leading to extra sexual harassment and hurt to college students.”

Fan mentioned that the legal guidelines want updating to completely ban sexual offenders from educating jobs.

Schooling authorities should examine any instructor alleged to have sexually harassed or had improper romantic relations with a scholar, and the Ministry of Schooling should revise investigation procedures to listen to from the victims, as at the moment solely the offender is allowed to attend hearings to supply a protection, she mentioned.

Lawmakers ought to handle the shortcoming in procedures for coping with academics accused of sexual misconduct by amending the Academics’ Act (教師法) and the Rules on the Prevention and Dealing with of Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment or Sexual Bullying on Campus (校園性侵害性騷擾或性霸凌防治準則), she mentioned.

Further reporting by Jason Pan