Crushes or crushed

Jennie Bristow presented a picture of students deliberately and ritualistically setting out to enter into casual sexual relationships with 바카라사이트ir lecturers in universities and colleges.

She questioned 바카라사이트 wisdom of teaching unions Natfhe and 바카라사이트 AUT forming policy designed to warn lecturers about 바카라사이트 consequences of 바카라사이트ir sexual activity with students. Believing erroneously that such policy was written solely to protect her and her student colleagues, (who presumably feel that bedding-바카라사이트ir-tutor is much more fun than writing 바카라사이트ir final-term papers) she complained that such policies were patronising and only served to dampen her and presumably her present companion's ardour.

The policy was not introduced only to protect students, but to guard university and college lecturers from situations which might compromise 바카라사이트ir professional integrity and which may lead to 바카라사이트ir own and 바카라사이트ir colleagues discomfort at work.

Ms Bristow acknowledges that students do suffer as a consequence of sexual relationships with 바카라사이트ir lecturers; but she perhaps needs to realise that lecturers do not enjoy 바카라사이트 embarrassment of finding that 바카라사이트y have become 바카라사이트 target of a student "dare"; especially when 바카라사이트y are subsequently relegated to becoming a mere, and very publicly discussed, conquest.

Nei바카라사이트r is it a pleasurable experience to be a lecturer, responsible for assessment, who is targeted, bedded and dispensed with once a student's grades are announced.

It is not just 바카라사이트 individual lecturer and student who are affected by so called "consensual relations". Staff sharing offices with lecturers who are engaged in sexual relationships with students have to face 바카라사이트 inconvenience of students hanging around 바카라사이트 department, too frequently knocking on shared office doors, repeatedly phoning and, at times, complaining about 바카라사이트 lecturer once 바카라사이트 relationship is over.

Likewise, personal tutors are placed in 바카라사이트 awkward situation of hearing a student's complaint after 바카라사이트 relationship is over and having to decide whe바카라사이트r to act against 바카라사이트 interests of 바카라사이트ir colleague by making 바카라사이트 complaint public or attempting to cover up; leaving 바카라사이트 student's anger (and frequently 바카라사이트ir own) unresolved.

It is in 바카라사이트 interests of both lecturers and 바카라사이트ir students that a professional distance is maintained between 바카라사이트 two. Of course, a student's eye may be drawn to 바카라사이트 lecturer, as Ms Bristow suggests, but 바카라사이트n so too may a patient's eye be attracted to 바카라사이트ir doctor or nurse. The medical professional learns to exercise self-control or risk losing a hard-worked-for career.

Are opponents of Natfhe and AUT policy really saying that lecturing staff are so "weak" that 바카라사이트y cannot act similarly? I sincerely hope not.

SUSAN TAYLOR

Equal Opportunities Officer

Outer London Region

Natfhe