Dalhousie considers suspensions over sexually violent Facebook posts

Dalhousie University is considering suspensions amidst allegations that some fourth-year male dentistry students posted sexually violent comments to Facebook, some about their female classmates.

Officials at the school say that about a week ago, they received a complaint about online comments posted to a page allegedly run by about a dozen male students. The group was called Class of DDS 2015 Gentlemen.

The group is closed, and so the posts are not visible to non-members.

Dalhousie president Richard Florizone says he was first made aware of the situation on Monday, and says the language in the posts “is frankly just entirely unacceptable.”

The comments are of a sexual nature and portray violence against women. Two fourth-year female dentistry students are named in some of the posts.

“So those women who were referred to in those posts, that’s been my primary concern is understanding their needs,” Florizone told CTV Atlantic. “How have they been impacted by this?”

The school has cancelled all exams for fourth-year dentistry students, and will reschedule them in January.

“You really don’t want students sitting next to each other in that kind of environment,” Florizone said.

The school is considering what other moves it will make in response to the allegations, including whether to hand out suspensions. School officials could make an announcement as early as Wednesday.

In the meantime, a petition posted to change.org calls on Florizone to expel any students who were either members of or participated in the Facebook group.

By late Tuesday, the petition had gained 1,073 supporters.

The petition cites the Dalhousie Student Code of Conduct, which includes a section on “offences against persons.”

Article “F” of that section states: “No student shall engage in unwelcome or persistent conduct that the student knows, or ought to reasonably know, would cause another person to feel demeaned, intimidated or harassed.”

The petition says that “none of the students” allegedly involved in the Facebook group should be allowed to continue their studies, graduate and find employment “in a position of power and trust.”

It also says that “all students should have the right to study in a positive environment that is free from the above attitudes; where every student feels safe to learn valued as a member of the School.”

Dentistry student Anna Ampaw said the school should take swift and stern action.

"You know as women we should feel protected and we shouldn't feel violated by our own classmates,” Ampaw told CTV. “I don't think it’s right.”

Jackie Stevens, executive director of the Avalon Sexual Assault Centre, echoed concerns expressed in the petition.

“They are about to become dentists,” Stevens said of the fourth-year students. “They will have access to drugs and they will be working with people who are in vulnerable situations.”

With a report from CTV Atlantic’s Jayson Baxter