ho3@stat-l (Gregg Loring) (10/10/84)
Is it ethically proper for an instructor to accept sexual favors from a student, if they (the sexual favors) are meant to influence the student's grade in a course? I would say not. Is it ethically proper for an instructor to accept sexual favors from a student, if they ARE NOT meant to influence the student's grade in a course? I would say so. This situation has confronted me in the past, so it is not a moot point. It seems that everyone has an opinion about this subject, and the ideas of intelligent people always interest me, so I'd like to know what other people think about it. Is anyone out there willing to share their thoughts on this with the rest of us? Gregg Loring ....inuxc!pur-ee!stat-l!ho3
ag5@pucc-i (Henry C. Mensch) (10/10/84)
<<>>
==> by Gregg Loring <ihnp4!pur-ee!stat-l!ho3>
==> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Is it ethically proper for an instructor
==>to accept sexual favors from a student, if they ARE NOT meant to influence
==>the student's grade in a course? I would say so.This situation has confronted
==>me in the past, so it is not a moot point.
It might be "ethically proper" for an instructor to accept
sexual favors from a student based on the premise that they wouldn't
affect a course grade. But then, "I'm not doing this for the grade"
is often as credible as "I won't come in your mouth" or "The check's in
the mail."
In any event, taking sexual favors from a student (for any
reason, under any premise) can only lead to trouble with a capital "T".
The last I heard on this topic related that some university in California
had instituted a policy regarding professors/instructors/TA's and their
students. It was something on the order of "Thou shall not date."
It was based on the case of some sex-ed professor having all sorts of
sexual activity (with students) at his home "for extra credit."
Does anybody know more about this??
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Henry C. Mensch | Purdue University Computing Center
{decvax|ucbvax|sequent|icalqa|inuxc|uiucdcs|ihnp4}!pur-ee!pucc-i!ag5
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" . . You'd better smile when they watch you,
smile like you're in control. . ."
-- *Smile*, Was (Not Was)lmf@drutx.UUCP (10/10/84)
In general my opinion is that teachers should not be sexually involved with their students even if it isn't meant to influence their grade. In those situations it seems to me that the people involved should wait until they are no longer in a relationship that has a built in power differential (e.g. instructor has power over the student's grade). In the case of school, that might only mean waiting until the semester is over. I would say the same thing about working relationships between a boss and their direct employee. This takes longer to change certainly. Often people are so well intentioned and rational about these things and then sex actually enters the picture and all of a sudden it's a different world and people aren't so rational anymore. Even sexual situations with someone you work or study with where there is not a power differential can blow up into a mess. For the less powerful person these types of liaisons can have damaging consequences. There's less risk for the more powerful person. I'd say take a lesson from heterosexuals on this one (it's better documented). Most people have heard stories about women losing/getting jobs/grades by sleeping with the male boss/teacher. The risks are probably about the same for open gay men and lesbians and much higher for those who are closeted. Lori Fuller
jmsellens@watmath.UUCP (John M Sellens) (10/11/84)
It is well known to auditors and professional accountants that the *appearance* of impartiality is just as important as the fact of impartiality. What I'm saying is that, close relationships between teachers/students, bosses/employees, etc, etc, should be avoided. Of course, that's only my opinion .... John
ag5@pucc-i (Henry C. Mensch) (10/12/84)
>>Twenty dollars, sailor!<<
++>from Lori Fuller
++>
++>. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .In those
++>situations it seems to me that the people involved should wait until they
++>are no longer in a relationship that has a built in power differential
++>(e.g. instructor has power over the student's grade). In the case of school,
++>that might only mean waiting until the semester is over.
I agree. This happened to a particular (heterosexual) friend
of mine who started dating a student of his... If there is a true
relationship (as opposed to an infatuation <a "crush" for those of us
who are still adolescents ;-} >) then things can be kept to a low roar
until *after* the semester ends.... (As the story turns out, the student
whom my friend was dating finally dropped him *after* getting the grade..
For once, the student used the TA to get what she wanted. . .
++> . . . . . . . . . . . . . There's less risk for the more powerful person.
If you believe that there's less risk for the 'more powerful'
person, then you'll buy this watch, real cheap! :-) The so-called
'more powerful' person ALSO stands a chance of being fired/disciplined/
discriminated against/etc... Some might even call the relationship
"sexual harassment," even though both participants are willing, consenting
adults.
++>I'd say take a lesson from heterosexuals on this one(it's better documented).
++>Most people have heard stories about women losing/getting jobs/grades by
++>sleeping with the male boss/teacher. The risks are probably about the same
++>for open gay men and lesbians and much higher for those who are closeted.
Actually, the risks are probably worse....(remember those
Brunsons out there!!)
A word to the wise should be sufficient.
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Henry C. Mensch | User Confuser | Purdue University User Services
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"How sweet it is to be loved by you . . ."
-- James Taylorsdyer@bbncca.ARPA (Steve Dyer) (10/13/84)
I generally think it's best to avoid even the appearance of
impropriety, and a relationship between a {TA,TF,Professor}
and a student certainly reeks of that, however noble it may feel
to the two involved.
On the other hand, I found that such situations at Harvard,
while not rampant, were not uncommon. All heterosexual, and
mostly all between male teachers and female students. Hardly
scandalous, either--I know a few couples who are now married.
--
/Steve Dyer
{decvax,linus,ima,ihnp4}!bbncca!sdyer
sdyer@bbncca.ARPA