The Humanistic Education Founda-tion yesterday accused an elementary-school principal of sexually harassing children and teaching assistants who participated in a winter camp held by the foundation. The foundation said that it would definitely file a lawsuit against the principal.
Executive director of the foundation, Wu Li-feng (
Wu said the foundation held a five-day winter camp at the Chenghai Elementary School in Tainan from Jan. 28. About 60 pupils from schools in the countryside and 20 adults participated in the camp, that aimed to teach kids about seaside ecology.
On the second day of the camp, Wu said, the school's principal, Liu Kuan-hsin (
Wu said Liu also allegedly harassed a teaching assistant -- a college student -- and forced her to go into a bathroom by pushing her shoulders. The girl also quickly left.
That same evening, Wu said, Liu even tried to enter a girls' bathroom when some girls were taking showers and asked them to let him in.
Wu said Liu's alleged sexual harassment and intoxicated condition caused panic among children and teaching assistants alike. A sexual harassment prevention program was immediately provisionally added to the camp activities, but they were finally forced to end the camp a day early, Wu said.
Liu denied all the accusations and said the incidents were caused by "misunderstandings" in a telephone conversation that was taped by the foundation when a foundation member questioned Liu's behavior.
Liu said that all he did during the camp activity was to check students' health as well as campus security.
"I never harassed any students or teaching assistants. Maybe I did touch them but I just wanted to express my fondness for children," Liu said.
However, Wu said the foundation insisted on filing a lawsuit against Liu for obscenity and urged the education authorities to remove him from his office.
"Sexual harassment of students is a serious problem in education and is a crime that must be prosecuted. We believe this type of person is not competent to be a principal and should not remain on campus," Wu said.
Liu said late yesterday that he has the right to sue the foundation because the charges were "untrue."
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