Being harassed about sexual harassment training

Professor Alexander McPherson a href=”http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-mcpherson21-2008nov21,0,4090949.story”speaks up on the/a sham of sexual harassment training (via a href=”http://www.reason.com/blog/show/130224.html”Reason/a):br /br /blockquoteFour years ago, the governor signed Assembly Bill 1825 into law, requiring all California employers with more than 50 people to provide sexual harassment training for each of their employees. The University of California raised no objection and submitted to its authority.br /br /But I didn’t. I am a professor of molecular biology and biochemistry at UC Irvine, and I have consistently refused, on principle, to participate in the sexual harassment training that the state and my employers seem to think is so important….br /br /I am not normally confrontational, so I sought to find a means to resolve the conflict. I proposed the following: I would take the training if the university would provide me with a brief, written statement absolving me of any suspicion, guilt or complicity regarding sexual harassment. I wanted any possible stigma removed. “Fulfilling this requirement,” said the statement I asked them to approve, “in no way implies, suggests or indicates that the university currently has any reason to believe that Professor McPherson has ever sexually harassed any student or any person under his supervision during his 30-year career with the University of California”….br /br /What’s more, the state, acting through the university, is trying to coerce and bully me into doing something I find repugnant and offensive. I find it offensive not only because of the insinuations it carries and the potential stigma it implies, but also because I am being required to do it for political reasons. The fact is that there is a vocal political/cultural interest group promoting this silliness as part of a politically correct agenda that I don’t particularly agree with./blockquotebr /br /Some of the hard-core commenters at emReason/em say the professor should comply–he signed up to work for the state and is a parasite, says one:br /br /blockquoteHe is the one who chose to work for The State and make a living as a parasite. Work for the state- do what the state tells you./blockquotebr /br /This is ridiculous. The professor did not sign up for this crap 30 years ago when he took the job. Now due to political reasons and feminist dogma, he is supposed to attend training implying that all male professors are guilty of sexual harassment. Sure, women may have to attend the workshop too, but we all know who they’re really talking to. I think the state has more obligation, not less, than private enterprise emnot/em to force workers to participate in politically charged training that they find offensive. Those who push this politically correct agenda should remember that what goes around comes around and they may one day find themselves being forced to do something they do not agree with or risk losing their job. Then, they will have no one to blame but themselves.