LAWSUIT IN KANSAS: Ex-Emporia Prof Says Student Falsely Acc’d Him When He Discovered She Was Cheating on Her Homework
According to the suit, Professor Schrader met with a student, referred to as J.J., in May 2017 after discovering that she had cheated on a second homework assignment that semester. During the meeting, the suit says, J.J. began to cry and Schrader handed her a tissue. “In doing so, their fingers briefly and lightly touched,” the suit says. In February 2018 J.J. told the Emporia State University Bulletin that the professor held her hand and rubbed his thumb on her hand for several minutes while handing her the tissue. J.J. went on to claim that Schrader suggested they go elsewhere and took her down the hallway into a storage room where he tried to kiss her. Prof Schrader disputes these claims in the suit.
“J.J.’s demeanor abruptly changed when she learned that there were severe consequences to her academic misconduct that she could not avoid and then left the meeting clearly upset,” the suit says.
After J.J. submitted a sexual harassment complaint to the university, both individuals were asked to sign a non-retaliation and confidentiality agreement, according to the suit. A committee of university faculty found in November 2017 that Schrader did not sexually harass J.J. Despite this, Emporia State President Allison Garrett wrote him a letter saying she agreed with the faculty committee’s conclusion but imposed five years of sanctions…In February 2018 J.J. violated the confidentiality agreement and stories about the investigation were published in the Emporia State Bulletin, according the suit. In March, Schrader was placed on administrative leave because of a second sexual harassment complaint against him.The suit says the investigation of the complaint was not impartial and that Schrader ultimately had no choice but to resign in December 2018.
Schrader said he has not been able to get a job at another university because of the allegations. Schrader is suing for “reverse sex discrimination,” violations of the 5th and 14th Amendments, tortious interference with prospective contractual relationship or expectancy, blacklisting, and constructive discharge.
kansascity-Katie Bernard
