A Harvard University professor claims her job was put in jeopardy after the university denied her tenure because she supported victims of sexual abuse, The Huffington Post reported.
Kimberly Theidon, an anthropologist, was intentionally denied tenure because of the work she has done with victims at the school who suffered sexual violence, according to a complaint the professor filed against the school obtained by The Huffington Post. Those same victims were unhappy with the way the university was handling their cases.
"I was told on multiple occasions to be a 'dutiful daughter' if I wanted to make it in the ranks of Harvard," Theidon told The Huffington Post. "By all means, look the other way-isn't that what the dutiful daughter does? That was not an acceptable option for me...I was never willing to check my conscience when I walked through the gates into Harvard Yard."
Theidon filed her complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. The complaint names one incident where the professor defended several victims who criticized the University in an April 2013 article in the Harvard Crimson.
Another incident involved a student who spoke to Theidon about a professor who was allegedly harassing her. Theidon advised the student to report the incidents to school administrators.
A week after Theidon filed her complaint, several of the victims filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education claiming the University violated Title IX when it mishandled cases of sexual assault and harassment, The Huffington Post reported.
Speaking to The Huffington Post, Harvard spokesman Jeff Neal would not comment on the pending litigation, but said the university is dedicated to "the principle of gender equity."
"To ensure the University's continued preeminence in scholarship and teaching, Harvard maintains an extremely high bar for promotion, particularly promotion to a tenured position, which carries a lifetime appointment," Neal said. "Because a leading research university is only as good as its faculty and students, maintaining the excellence of both groups is an important priority."