Diary of an Educator part 1: Sexual Harassment

No lie: Men experience sexual harassment just like women, but in most cases, it isn’t reported or documented.

When I was a substitute teacher a few years ago, I was frightened beyond belief.

Why?

Because I was constantly harassed by female students, and even the teachers.

I’m only human, so the thought or idea of getting desired attention is common and a normal thing.

Even an animal wants attention and wants to be played with.

But what about undesired, unwanted attention?

                To make a long story short, the harassment was starting to become unbearable. Here I am, trying to do my job, and it was evident that I was good at doing it because I was on the Required Substitute list. (In other words, they would call me personally to come in before posting the job online)

But the harassment by girls who I am biologically old enough to father (If we lived in a different culture where people get married at 13) was unacceptable.

The harassment made me appreciate women on a totally different level.

By no means have I ever whistled at a woman or said some foul shit just to get their attention but now I kinda understand how it feels.

Why was it a problem?

Maybe because I was on an emotional high. I guess you could call it a high.  Emotionally, I didn’t know myself.  I was experiencing things that I never felt before.  My daughter was a few months from arriving and it really had me fucked up.

Happy that I was about to embrace the world of fatherhood, but mentally going crazy because all I could think about was “Damn, I hope my daughter doesn’t be like this when she becomes a teenager.”

                So every time I worked at this particular school, I had to give myself multiple “prep talks” while driving to work and before walking in the building.  I always considered myself to be mentally strong and someone who was patient but this situation was overwhelming.

Even the confused, I’m a lesbian for a few weeks females were trying to get on.

“Mr. Mayes, what’s your email address?”

“Why, so you can see if I’m on Facebook and Myspace?”

They giggled after knowing that I knew what they were trying to do.

And the fact that I look like someone who is still in High School, didn’t help the situation either.

                One day I was in a different classroom, substituting for a different teacher, working on a different floor, so I thought that it wouldn’t be any drama on my end.

Boy was I wrong.

The word had spread like a wildfire.

Within twenty minutes of being in 1^st hour while reading a magazine, a lady had approached the desk.

I should have had the door closed because that would have helped me notice when someone walked in.

“Hey Mr. Mayes.” Said the stranger.

“Hello.”

“I’m Mrs. Blah, blah, blah.” It was the woman who I normally substituted for. 

“Oh ok. Nice to meet you.” I said while extending my hand.

Our hands embraced, then departed.

“I heard that you were in the building and all of my students kept telling me how HOT you were so I had to come see for myself.”

WTF…………?

Needless to say, no amount of money is worth you being uncomfortable.

So like Chris Brown, I had to throw up the DUECE’s to that high school.

Thanks for your time.

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