Goodrich-Allegations of sexual harassment surrounded the middle school last week, as students claimed inappropriate behavior on the part of their principal.
According to reports from ABC-12, the incident stems from a sexual education class in which students were told whistling and barking at women were inappropriate behaviors that qualified as sexual harassment. At that point, according to the news source, female students at the school for sixth, seventh and eighth graders claimed principal Jerry Lawrason had done those very things to students in the school.
‘I think there is validity to the complaints,? said a parent of a former middle school student, who asked to remain anonymous because her child is still in school in the district.
The parent said her daughter had reported similar behavior from Lawrason as having happened to girls she knew, but not herself.
‘It all was going on, on a daily basis,? said the parent.
Sexual harassment is defined in the Goodrich Middle School handbook as ‘The act of attacking, annoying, bothering or troubling another with regard to their gender,? and is punishable with 1-10 days of suspension for students. Additionally, according to the school’s harassment policy, ‘A student who feels he/she is being harassed (including sexual harassment and/or bullying) by peers or by a staff member of Goodrich Middle School, or is aware of the harassment of another student(s), shall report such incidents to a building.?
Superintendent Kim Hart said a letter was mailed to all parents in the district in response to the situation, and sent a copy of that letter to The Citizen in response to a request for comment on the situation.
‘There have been allegations of sexual harassment from students and a few parents that came about due to a reproductive education class last week at school in which the topic was ‘sexual harassment,? read the letter. ‘Sexual harassment is not tolerated in any way, by anyone in our district. The concerns raised last week are being investigated.?
The parent said she did not take any action in response to the harassment when her daughter attended the school because it was something she had only heard about through her daughter as happening to other students, not her own.
‘She was concerned because (that type of behavior) is not right,? said the parent. ‘What often starts out as innocent joking turns out to be something worse.?
‘Nothing like this has ever been brought to my attention before in regards to Dr. Lawrason,? Hart said in the letter. ‘All district employees are required to be fingerprinted ? there is no separate or additional background check done on any specific group of employees.?
According to the reports, a petition regarding the issue was being circulated within the school.
School officials did not want students who were upset by the situation to feel dismissed, but also did not want to ostracize Lawrason.
‘It is important that students feel that their concerns are properly addressed. However there have been several calls and emails of support. I have received twice as many calls or emails in support of Dr. Lawrason as compared to those who have concerns,? said Hart in the letter.
And while the parent said she is unsure of what action, if any, she would like to see the district take in response to the complaints, she said she hopes students will continue to report any inappropriate behavior.
‘No one likes sexual harassment and it makes learning difficult,? said the parent.