According to a lawsuit heading toward an August trial date in U.S. District Court, the Northeast Portland school offers course work in basic gynecological and proctological exams. The problem is finding "patients" on whom to practice their skills in these areas. For the gynecological exams, the school provides "models"--that is, they pay women to undergo the invasive exams, which are no doubt even more uncomfortable than usual because they're done by students. But for the proctological exams, the school makes things more difficult. The college admits in court papers they don't always provide models like they do for the female exams. According to a lawsuit filed by Western States graduate Damon J. Ernst, male students were instead coerced by school officials into "volunteering" for the proctological exams. In court papers, Ernst says he and many of his classmates weren't happy about the prospect of dropping their drawers and having fellow students probe their most private parts. They protested, both among themselves and to school officials, but to no avail. Ernst says he had to endure the taunting of instructors, who called reluctant students "wimps" and "wussies." And so, Ernst says, he "volunteered" under much duress. Then, according to the suit, he was hit with this sexual zinger by an instructor about to supervise the exam: "Tell me if you want it harder-softer-faster-slower." Ernst filed suit in federal court under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, a law frequently used to ensure that boys and girls have equal access to school sports programs. In this case, Ernst claims the school was discriminatory because it protected female students from invasive exams--a decision which Western States made some time ago to avoid sexual harassment charges, among other things--but didn't do the same for male students. College attorneys tried to get the discrimination claims thrown out of court, but U.S. District Court Judge Malcolm F. Marsh ruled earlier this month that Ernst appears to have a valid basis for a lawsuit. Western States' attorney, Robert Barton, refused to comment on the case. |
