Kolkata’s SXU Allegedly Forced A Female Professor To Quit For Old Swimsuit Pics On Instagram. What About Her Personal Life And Choice?
By now, I’m sure you’ve all read how the former assistant professor of English at Kolkata’s St. Xavier’s University was allegedly forced to quit by the authorities owing to the “objectionable” and “inappropriate” photos that she posted of herself on Instagram. SXU allegedly said that the acts of the professor “besmirched the reputation of the university”. While SXU has refuted all claims, the female professor has alleged that the university not only moral policed and shamed her but also deliberately character assassinated and their behaviour amounts to sexual harassment as well. And everything about this case is questionable.
The professor alleged that she was summoned by SXU where an ’emergency committee’ was formed after a guardian of a first-year male undergraduate student had complained against her after he found his son looking at her pictures on Instagram that were “objectionable” and “bordered on nudity”. The pictures in question were of the professor dressed in a swimsuit which was posted by her on her Instagram story in June 2021 which was nearly 2 months before joining SXU. Since the Instagram story is only accessible for 24 hours, the question is how did the student access those pictures? Moreover, the professor revealed to The Wire that her Instagram profile is private and only those who she accepts as her followers can view the content she shares and posts. In the complaint, it was alleged that the student viewed them in October of 2021 which could not have been possible as it was posted on the professor’s Instagram story and not on her profile as a post.
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While no explanation was given to the professor about how her pictures were accessed, these very pictures were circulated in a room among 7 members of the emergency committee who also read out the complaint letter sent by the parent of the student. The professor was asked to confirm if they were her pictures. Owing to the humiliation suffered by the professor, she has filed a complaint against SXU and also sent them a legal notice. In a response to her notice, SXU shared the letter written by the guardian identified as B.L. Mukherjee. In the letter, the parent said that he was “appalled” to find his son looking at the pictures of the professor where she posed in a “sexually explicit” manner. Pointing out that it is “utterly shameful” for him to see pictures of a teacher in her “undergarments” on social media, Mukherjee said that he has tried to “shield” his son from “gross indecency and objectification of female body” while calling it “obscene, vulgar and improper” for an 18-year-old to see his professor “exhibiting her body on a public platform”. And we agree with him.
That Kolkata Xaviers professor story is indicative of everything wrong with parenting. An 18 year old young adult checking insta photos of his professor in swimwear — images clearly obtained without her consent because she has a locked private account — and instead of asking
— Rituparna Chatterjee (@MasalaBai) August 9, 2022
No student should be looking at the pictures of his professor in a swimsuit so the question is, why was this 18-year-old young boy leching on his professor? Where and how did this young adult find pictures of his professor in a swimsuit considering her Instagram account is private and the pictures were on her Instagram story and not on her profile? Moreover, if this parent was trying to protect his son from “objectification of female body” why did he write to the university complaining against this professor instead of schooling his son for leching on her pictures? Why was this parent objectifying HER body and questioning HER choice and freedom instead of controlling his son’s actions and teaching him to be a good human being? What’s worse is that the educational institute that was supposed to educate the students chose to shame and harass the professor instead of protecting her. Instead of questioning the student about how he obtained her pictures she was told that it is her duty to “appear appropriate” and posting pictures of her choice on her private Instagram handle could “corrupt the minds of young men”. Isn’t this classic? Blaming the woman for the objectionable actions of a man.
SXU must be brought to task for non compliance with law, wrongful termination and creating an unsafe workplace for women. This is beyond disgusting.
— Rutuja (ऋतुजा) 🇮🇳 (@Havaldarshinde) August 8, 2022
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The professor in question was allegedly slut-shamed and harassed and even asked if her parents approved of her Instagram posts. Further, she was asked to submit a report to the VC about her actions after which her future at the university was to be decided. She was also told that she could be put behind bars if the complainant filed an FIR and if the boy was found to be under 18 years of age as her actions amount to a “criminal offence”. The professor also apologised for “offending members of SXU” with her social media posts but despite all of that she was advised by the VC to resign as her pictures had reported gone “viral” in the student community. And amid all of this, no one thought to question the students sharing these pictures of their professor without her consent. While the professor was told that posting pictures of her own choice which were not even sexually explicit on her social media profile was a “criminal offence” the members of the university effectively failed to prevent an actual criminal offence and did nothing about it when a female professor’s modesty was outraged.
Soon after, the professor resigned from SXU and slammed the university for using “arbitrary and primitive standards of ‘morality'” to shame and objectify her pictures and her body. She also accused them of bullying, humiliating and browbeating her to submission. She also told the VC that the ordeal has made her feel unsafe within the institution after which she cannot work at the organisation. The professor sent a legal notice to SXU seeking details of the complaint against her and the proceedings and other relevant documents. While the same seems to have been provided to the professor, SXU has sought a 99 crore compensation from her for her “false, frivolous, fabricated” allegations. Way to go, guys.
To say that this incident is shameful would be an understatement. Not only the university but the parent of the male student is as much at fault as the student himself. It’s shameful that an educational institution handled a situation like this with immense insensitivity and dishonour.
