Letter to the Editor: Student reacts to Title IX article

Headline and image have been changed to be more accurate to the letter

I read the article “Jadence Clifton Comes Forward” by the North Coast Journal’s news editor, Thadeus Greenson. My heart breaks for Clifton, and my blood is boiling after hearing what President Tom Jackson Jr. said in his Fall Welcome speech regarding Title IX.

President Jackson said some remarks that made me question his moral integrity, including “Title IX was designed to be private, confidential…Title IX is designed to solve it behind doors.”

No, sir, it’s not. If all Title IX cases were kept private, it only would discourage survivors from speaking out. Silencing survivors is rape culture.

“Today we may be scrutinizing someone, but tomorrow that someone may be us”. President Jackson said this referring to sexual perpetrators, but in using “us”, it’s as if he’s refering to himself. There’s no “us,” Jackson. Not everyone thinks the perpetrators of today could be us tomorrow.

I find that unnerving, especially how he’s sympathizing with the assaulters and not the victims of assault and saying he’s capable of committing an act like that.

As a survivor myself, hearing his speech made my stomach drop. I felt icky, uncomfortable and honestly scared that someone who would say things that like is in charge of our school.

– Shayne Jarvie, Arcata, CA