Harvard Students WALK OUT In Protest Over Return Of Professor Accused Of Forcefully Kissing And Groping Grad Students
Jan. 26 2023, Published 9:15 p.m. ET
Over 100 students at prestigious Harvard University walked out of an anthropology class on January 25 in protest of the course's professor, who was accused of forcefully kissing and grouping students in 2022, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Dr. John Comaroff was an expert on South Africa who taught anthropology courses at Harvard when he was accused of sexual misconduct — including an allegation of a threat of rape — by several former graduate students.
The university placed him on unpaid leave in January 2022 while an internal investigation was conducted, however, despite the backlash and students' concerns, the professor returned to the classroom for the Fall 2022 semester.
A year after Dr. Comaroff was placed on unpaid leave, anthropology students continued to express their outrage at the university's decision to allow the professor back.
Before the walk-out over his Fall 2022 return, the anthropology expert was sued by three former grad students who him of sexual misconduct.
In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs alleged that the professor "kissed and groped students without their consent, made unwelcome sexual advances, and threatened to sabotage students' careers if they complained."
The lawsuit was supported by Title IX grounds under the US Department of Justice and alleged that Harvard knowingly ignored claims made by students against the tenured professor.
Their lawsuit described the "continuing nightmare" the plaintiffs were allegedly subjected to by the professor.
In one claim, a student accused the professor of forcefully kissing and groping a student. Additionally, the student alleged that Dr. Comaroff told her she would be subjected to "corrective rape" if she brought her girlfriend along for fieldwork in Africa.
Another detailed alleged "persistent invitations to socialize alone off-campus, and coercive control."
Harvard's investigation into the claim found that Dr. Comaroff engaged in verbal conduct that violated the university's professional conduct policies, as well as Harvard's sexual and gender-based policies.
Still, Dr. Comaroff continued to teach students.
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An attorney for the professor told the Daily Mail that his client "categorically denies ever harassing or retaliating against any student." Several student organizations at the university organized protests in response to his campus return.
"John Comaroff has spent his career silencing and retaliating against students — thereby undermining Harvard's value of creating an equitable, safe learning environment for all," student Rosie Couture said of the protest. "For the good of the university community and Harvard's academic mission, it's past time for Harvard to act."
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