The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced that Montgomery College, Takoma/Silver Spring Campus, has entered into a resolution agreement to resolve a sexual harassment complaint. OCR’s investigation established that a College professor, who was not named, engaged in sexual harassment of female students during a class he taught by requiring the students to remove their shirts and wear only their bras – and then commenting on their bodies – ostensibly to demonstrate a medical assessment despite the fact that the assessment did not require the clothing removal, or the bodily commentary.
Within approximately three months of the initial report of the professor’s harassment, the College’s investigation confirmed that the professor’s conduct created a hostile environment on the basis of sex. The College terminated the professor’s employment and the College provided written notice of the outcome of its investigation to the student in the class who initially reported experiencing sexual harassment, and also offered supportive services to affected students. However, the College did not notify all affected students regarding the conclusion of its investigation, raising a concern that the College may not have taken necessary steps to ensure that a hostile environment did not persist for affected students.
The resolution agreement requires the College to notify in writing all students in the professor’s class that the College completed its investigation of the sexual harassment complaint against the professor and requires the College to provide OCR with the results of its 2022 Title IX climate survey and a narrative summary of the steps it has taken in response to any concerns raised by that survey in order for OCR to determine whether the College needs to take any additional steps to ensure College students are able to access their education free from discrimination.
- Montgomery School District – Resolution Letter PDF (229K)
- Montgomery School District – Resolution Agreement PDF (221K)
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