THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, October 8, 1996 TAG: 9610080007
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A16 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 30 lines
Well, we have finally hit rock bottom. A 6-year-old child from Lexington, N.C., is now a labeled sexual harasser because he kissed one of his classmates.
The sexual harassment laws were intended to prevent the workplace (or school place, as the case may be) from becoming a hostile environment and to protect individuals from unwanted or unsolicited behavior of a sexual nature. There seems to be a movement of late, however, to find reason to accuse and substantiate charges of sexual harassment against individuals who, in most cases, have no recourse.
Neither the general public nor legislators want to approach the gray laws involving sexual harassment. And employers will quickly remove or discipline individuals accused of sexual harassment because of the fear of litigation by those who made the accusations, true or not.
The sexual harassment laws are, indeed, gray. They are open to interpretation, and employers have found themselves running scared from dealing appropriately and fairly with the situation. As both a woman and a manager, I am ashamed that this has been allowed to happen. It sets up a precedent for all workers and managers and has, in itself, created a hostile environment by fostering paranoia.
MARIAN L. VOLLMER
Chesapeake, Sept. 29, 1996 by CNB