Harvard ‘ignored’ professor’s sexual assaults; US backs lawsuit

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has thrown its weight behind a lawsuit by three Harvard students who have accused the university of ignoring complaints of sexual harassment by a professor. 

Margaret Czerwienski, Lilia Kilburn and Amulya Mandava had filed the lawsuit in February alleging that the university’s anthropology professor John Comaroff for years kissed and groped students and threatened to sabotage their academic careers if they complained.

DOJ filing
In a court filing on Wednesday, the DOJ said Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 protects a student’s right to report sex discrimination without fear of reprisal.

“Schools must protect students who participate in the Title IX process from retaliation and respond effectively to known retaliatory acts of their employees,” the department said.

Harvard watched
The three plaintiffs were among several students who reported Comaroff to Harvard officials, who watched as the professor retaliated against those who complained against him, telling them they will have “trouble getting jobs,” per the lawsuit.

Comaroff, who returned to the classroom Tuesday since being put on administrative leave in January, has denied harassing students. A review by Harvard authorities did not find him retaliating against the plaintiffs, his lawyers said.