MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (WDCW) – The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) concluded a sexual harassment investigation into a professor at Montgomery College in Maryland, finding that he harassed several female students by requiring them to remove their shirts and stand in their bras in a classroom setting.
OCR said the professor, who was teaching at the school’s Takoma/Silver Spring campus, then commented on the students’ bodies in what was referred to as a medical demonstration.
The students promptly reported the harassment, including targeted harassment that occurred outside of class. The school immediately placed the professor on paid leave pending a Title IX investigation.
The professor was fired within three months of the initial harassment reports, following an investigation by the school.
In a factual summary published with OCR’s letter to Montgomery College President Dr. Jermaine F. Williams, the OCR cited evidence that the professor — whose name was redacted — “required” at least 11 female students to “remove their shirts and wear only sports bras.”
“After removing their shirts, [redacted content] put on their lab jackets for modesty purposes, but the Professor demanded that they remove their jackets. The Professor also commented on students’ nipples and breast positioning and asked the students to separate their breasts so they could conduct the assessment,” the letter stated.
The OCR’s letter did not indicate what type of medical demonstration the professor claimed to be illustrating to the class, but said it “did not require the clothing removal, or the bodily commentary.”
Montgomery College took steps to inform students and offer supportive services to those affected, but OCR found that several affected students were not notified. In a news release issued on June 28, OCR said it intervened to make sure the college made written acknowledgments to all affected students.
“The shameful underlying facts in this investigation — of a college professor subjecting his entire class to sexual harassment as a condition of instruction — are galling and categorically unacceptable under Title IX,” said Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon. “I am deeply grateful to Montgomery College for swiftly responding with a thorough investigation and action to address the effects of the hostile environment created by the professor on the students in his class, and I appreciate the additional commitment Montgomery College made to fulfill its remaining obligation under Title IX to ensure that the discriminatory effects end for all its students.”
Both the OCR letter to Montgomery College and the resolution agreement can be found at the Department of Education’s website.