A Californian high school teacher is alleging sexual misconduct against several male students, claiming they have touched her and sent her obscene emails and that the school district won’t do anything about it.
Eva Rieder, a math and English teacher at Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley, California, asserts that in the last 15 years, she has been harassed at least a dozen times.
‘It’s time I say ‘Me Too,’ the teacher said to Tamalpais Union High School District board members at a meeting on February 6.
‘I’ve been slandered by a student spreading rumors that I made a drunken sexual advance on him at a party. I have been touched more than once by a student who also argues that it’s OK to describe his masturbation habits in the classroom.
Eva Rieder, a math and English teacher at Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley, California, claimed in the last 15 years to have been harassed at least 12 times
‘I have received profane phone calls and insidious attacks to my work and personal email addresses, some identified from coming to the school IP address during the school hours. All of them are so graphic that they are unfit for this public audience.
‘These are only some of the outrageous events that I’ve experienced, and like other women in this district, I have been sexually harassed, stalked, intimidated, threatened, bullied, slandered, and defamed by male students.’
Reider asked how was she to convey to female students that they will be respected and protected at the school, when she herself didn’t feel that way.
‘It’s time I say ‘Me Too,’ the teacher said to Tamalpais Union High School District board members at a meeting on February 6
She said: ‘How do we, female teachers, who’ve confronted various forms of sexual harassment, convey to female students, that they will be supported, believed, protected or safe, in a district that has repeatedly failed to protect, believe, or respond to us in similar situations?’
The teacher asserted that she had told administrators about sexual harassment that she had experienced, about four years ago, and that when she informed the district, they failed to act.
The teacher asserts that male students will touch her and send her ‘insidious attacks’ on her personal and work email
‘Inaction is an action,’ she added. ‘How far will this escalate before the board takes real action?’
Principal J.C. Farr shared with The Tam News Online that he was unaware of Reider’s claims made in December.
He added that ‘[Reider and I] have had conversations about her experiences [with sexual harassment] here in the past and just her general concerns.’
Principal J.C. Farr shared that he was unaware of Reider’s claims made in December
Scool board President Leslie Lundgren claimed to be ‘very concerned’ with the allegations that the teacher and another made against students, according to the Marin Independent Journal.
Assistant Supt. of Education Services Tara Taupier shared with KTVU that the district has a lawyer on call that specializes in workplace investigation and teacher complaints.
‘We must wait for the investigator’s report before making any conclusions,’ Taupier said in an email.
‘Please know that the District takes complaints of harassment and sexual misconduct very seriously and responds expeditiously to complaints by investigating and taking any necessary corrective action.’
For Reider, the courage of another teacher telling of the harassment she faced while teaching male students at Redwood High, gave her the confidence to come forward.
Social studies teacher Luke Chamberlin supported Reider and added that he had seen firsthand ‘misogyny that’s pretty typical in the student body, so you know how widespread this issue is.’
Rider has decided to take a leave of absence, next year, because of the harrassment
Chambelin added that the manner in which students spoke and used slang affirmed their sentiments towards women.
‘I’m asking the board, for specific action .. to revisit board policies on sexual harassment, to make sure no one is sexually harassed by anyone else in the future, he added.
‘We need to address sexism as much as we can. I am not going to be a bystander to what I’m speaking of. Please act.’
The harassment has been so severe for Rieder, however, that she has reportedly moved to take a leave of absence next year.