This is going to make me look bad, but I don't care. It's my blog and I'll look bad on it. I just found out that all part-time faculty have to complete the same "sexual harassment training" that full-time faculty do. I am so annoyed I can barely stand it. I know what all the arguments are for why we should have to do it; I know, I know, I know. And I have personally experienced sexual harassment, so I know it's a serious issue and that it sucks to have it happen to you. But I am STILL annoyed. More than annoyed. I am not going to sexually harass anyone. And I am BUSY. I don't want to do this. I want to do other things with my time. I don't need sexual harassment training. I don't need to be talked down to and "educated" in sensitivity by authority figures who don't know any more about this subject than I do and very likely know less. I went to the many hours long diversity training day a few years ago and really didn't learn a thing (except that, apparently, almost everything you do can potentially count as sexual harassment if you are unfortunate enough to get a student who really doesn't like you). I probably would never have written a post like this ten years ago, when I was more fully in the flush of moral outrage at the things that had happened to me, but, well, times have changed. MY times have changed. And-- my time is limited!
I guess I am just venting.
2 comments:
I had to go to a mandatory sexual harassment training session at Whitman. The way it was presented, though, was useful to me ... in that it explained what we could do for students who came to us with their sexual harassment issues. I wouldn't have known where to direct a student, or about privacy issues, etc. if not for the training.
That said, I know that not all these sessions are run that way and do tend to be a total waste of time--and also seem to be empty gestures designed to save the university's ass in case someone sues. Not really looking out for students at all.
At my current school, they have the training on-line--AND it's optional. Which makes practical sense.
I know you are right, I really do. I can understand every single reason why this might be a good idea, and having had this happen to me, I understand its importance, too. That's the thing. Even knowing all these things, I am still annoyed.
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