- Target:
- Roger Brown
- Region:
- United States of America
Berklee Community Standards, set in place to keep students safe, tends to miss the mark. One of the biggest issues that Berklee fails to properly address, is how students are disciplined after being deemed responsible for sexual harassment and assault. There are many reported instances where people who were found responsible were subject to a mere one year suspension. Not only this, but the appeal, time for these outcomes lasts for up to five days after the final verdict is decided upon, not giving a victim enough time to assess whether or not they are well enough to cope with the return of their attacker.
This petition is set to accomplish a few things:
1) Hold the equity chief and equity staff to their own standard which is, in the chief's words, "to expel any student who forcibly rapes a fellow student or staff member"
2) Extend the appeal deadline to one consecutive year.
3) Offer safer options to victims of sexual assault.
4) Hold the investigators accountable to their 90 day policy.
We as the student body have our health, safety, and happiness at the forefront of our minds. One of our basic rights that have been infringed upon by the school is our Title XI right, which is our right to safe education.
The equity system at Berklee has not only failed to care for its students as a whole, but it has also failed to protect its students from having their Title IX rights violated, especially students who are victims of sexual assault. A lot of these issues come from the current community standards.
We advocate for the following changes be made to the community standards at Berklee:
1) All students found responsible for sexual assault (which includes rape by definition) be expelled. There is no place for these people on a school campus. We must stop Berklee from becoming a hunting ground.
2) The right to an appeal of a verdict will be extended from 5 days after verdict is announced, to one consecutive year. Survivors of sexual assault must be granted an appropriate amount of time to evaluate whether or not they will be in a mindset to have their attacker return to school. This can not be accomplished in five days. Healing takes time.
3) The equity offices must keep an open line of communication with its students. For too long, there has been a lack of transparency between the equity offices and the student body. Having information on our own investigations is not a privilege, it's a right. It's a right that has been taken away far too often.
4) All investigations MUST be completed within 90 days of its start date. If there is a need for extension, the student must be notified and given a reason for the extension. The waiting game is a game that most victims do not have the tolerance nor the sense of safety to play.
Change must happen at Berklee, and this is how we promote change. We want a school that is safer, healthier, and more honest, and it all begins with these improvements.
Thank you.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Improve Community Standards at Berklee petition to Roger Brown was written by Georgeta Seserman and is in the category Education at GoPetition.