Why is it that some teachers feel they can comment on their students’ bodies, contact them on dating apps, ask them about their sex lives and even attempt to kiss or sexually touch them? A startling finding from a report I co-authored shows that almost all instances of teacher-to-student sexual harassment take place on the school grounds – indicating that there may be a culture of acceptance in some schools across the UK and Ireland.
There are no circumstances in which it is appropriate for teachers to gesture, joke about or discuss sex or any sexual topics with their students – formal biology and personal health education excluded. When we tell students to cover their bodies out of “respect for male staff”, we tell young girls that creepy behaviour from teachers is to be expected. When staff tell students that their sex lives and “reputation” are being discussed in the staff room, we tell students that commenting on and objectifying young people is fair game. When heads of school dismiss reports of inappropriate behaviour as “trouble making” or “exaggerations of harmless behaviour” we tell teenagers that their feelings are not valid and that schools will not listen to their concerns.
