Earlier this year, LaShonda Davis alleged that a fellow fifth grader sexually harassed her. Her family filed suit against the Georgia school district, claiming the school failed to stop the harassment. Last week, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case. How would you rule?
| Walter Dunn Age: 27 Resides: Austin, Texas Occupation: Musician/Student Should schools be held liable when one student sexually harasses another? No. Holding schools responsible for children living their lives is ridiculous. How prevalent is this situation? In high school, we’d talk about girls in the locker room—that’s harmless. But sometimes when you’re out in the courtyard and you go like, ‘‘Nice ass,’’ or ‘‘Nice jugs,’’ they could either smile or give you the finger. You never know. Were you ever sexually harassed in school? Not in school, but at work. My boss was female and she just liked my ass for whatever reason. She’d be talking about its roundness or tautness. |  |
| Kelly Hansen Age: 25 Resides: Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn Occupation: Temp Should schools be held liable when one student sexually harasses another? Yes. The school should be, if they were informed and nothing was done about it. How prevalent is this situation? It goes on all the time. Were you ever sexually harassed in school? In junior high school. And I knew it was wrong, but I didn’t say anything. I was scared.
|
| Doug Pearl Age: 28 Resides: Bay Ridge, Brooklyn Occupation: Architect Should schools be held liable when one student sexually harasses another? No. To a certain degree the teacher should have some control. But we live in a world where you can’t keep tabs on everybody. Everyone’s just got the victim mentality. How prevalent is this situation? No idea. I don’t have kids. Did you ever sexually harass anyone in school? I remember in the third grade, if you called a girl fat or ugly or if you teased her it was no big deal. Today it might be. But also, today’s kids are so much different than when I grew up in the ’70s. Kids are seeing different things today, growing up much faster. | |
| Wanda Cruz Age: 42 Should schools be held liable when one student sexually harasses another? No. But if the teacher is aware of it, they are definitely responsible. How prevalent is this situation? I think it’s very prevalent. Were you ever sexually harassed in school? In my time it was hair pulling. That was it. |
| Liz Henderson Age: 33 Resides: Soho Occupation: Sales Should schools be held liable when one student sexually harasses How prevalent is this situation? I don’t Were you ever sexually harassed in school? When I was 11 it happened all the time. But | |
| Amy Smith Age: 29 Resides: Soho Occupation: Student Should schools be held How prevalent is this situation? It’s always been little girls, little boys, and hormones. We’ve Were you ever sexually harassed in school? It could be labeled a sexual harassment thing, but it was more of a coming-of-age thing. |
| Orrin Sharpless Age: 34 Resides: West Village Occupation: Painter Should schools be held liable when one student sexually harasses How prevalent is this situation? Were you ever sexually harassed in school? | |