In the midst of the Judge Kavanaugh hearings — which have exposed the pervasiveness of misogyny, disbelief and victim-blaming in our culture — Jared Hensley, the Assistant Principal and Athletic Director at Soddy-Daisy High School near Chattanooga, Tennessee made a big fool of himself and harmed young girls while doing it.
He made a video address to the student body about the school's new dress code. He announced a ban on wearing athletic shorts, but then followed up with these words addressing the male students: "If you really want someone to blame, blame the girls, because they pretty much ruin everything. Ask Adam, look at Eve - you can really go back to the beginning of time."
Teen girls are watching, they are paying attention and they are rightfully scared. The Kavanaugh hearings and videos like the one this Assistent Principal made are sending a horrifying message: that "boys matter more than girls and it is okay to blame girls for everything." We have to weed this hatred of women out of our power structures.
As an educator, I am appalled and embarrassed that a fellow educator, in a position of power, would use such sexist and misogynistic language.
Please do the right thing for students and fire Jared Hensley immediately.
