Job Discussion Forums

[Betty Lou Jones]

I teach at three different high schools. Last Friday, I went to the third high school for the first time. The principal calls me into his office and greets me. I hear moaning of the sort and glance down at his laptop. I couldn't believe my eyes as a quickly looked up at him.
He talking as if nothing is wrong telling me he hopes I have a good time at this school. Mean while, I'm telling myself, "This is not happening! I must of imagined what I saw!"
The principal reached for his cup of tea and so I glance down at his laptop again. My heart stopped I was so petrified! I looked up at him, he smiles as he puts the cup of tea back on the desk and tells me if there is anything I need to please ask him.
I nod and say thank you as I slowly walked back wards from the desk and then left the office.
I immediately called my supervisor and told her the principal was watching pornagraphy right there on his laptop in his office. The supervisor then tells me he might of been watching a sexual education video. I'm like what? Three guy on one woman is not sexual education.

I wanted to quit right there, but she told me not to worry. She will look into it! I am so baffled! I don't know what to do! I am suppose to go back there this Friday!

I am new to Japan! Is this common? Do you think I am making a bid deal out of nothing?

[jwbhomer]

OP, are you actually teaching ENGLISH? Your post is riddled with spelling and grammatical errors.
As to your point, what difference does it make to you if the principal watches pornography? (Please note spelling.) Unless he hits on you, forget it!

[Quibby84]

I would be freaking out to! I know that pornography is common in Japan (as it is everywhere) but at your job??? What if a kid saw? Did you tell anyone else at your job?

[billysmolesworthy]

Betty Lou,

A male superior conducts a meeting with a female subordinate while playing pornography on a computer screen, and jwbhomer has no problem with that? I can't think of a clearer example of litigation-baiting sexual harassment. (That's with one 'r' and two 's' right, jwbhomer?)

My wife lost count of the number of old men who flashed her while they rode past on their bicycles during her school years. She just ignored it as inevitable and never bothered to make a complaint to the police. This degree of acceptance or tolerance is widespread, and goes some way towards explaining the attitude and lack of support of your supervisor.

But just because they put up with it, doesn't mean you have to. You are right in being upset, you are not making a big deal out of nothing. Hopefully some of the more experienced posters on this forum will give you some practical advice.

[sallycat]

i can understand why you are so upset. unfortunately, i think "i will look into it" translates as "i will ignore it". i don't really have any experience at dealing with this sort of problem. try the beingabroad forum: you may find someone there who can give good advice on what to do.

[wabisabi365]

Hello Betty Lou,

I wish I could offer concrete advice on what to do. What we have come to expect back home (I'm assuming you are from Europe or North America; please correct me if I got that wrong) does not apply here. Men openly read pornographic manga on the trains. What would be considered quite hard-core back home is freely available, unpackaged and at children's eye-level, in the convenience stores. I wonder if it's possible that your boss was looking at this stuff on his computer and, because it is so commonplace here, was oblivious to the fact that it is offensive (and a form of sexual harassment). Part of me believes that may be the case...

But...

Another part of me believes he was completely aware of what he was doing. These past few years, workplaces in Japan have been inundated with sexual harassment seminars, fliers and posters. Could he really be so unaware as to keep the stuff on his desk where co-workers (and subordinates who can't communicate freely in Japanese at that) can view it? I doubt it.

Not knowing your work situation or how the hierarchy works, I hesitate to give you a pat response. I could tell you what I would do if it were in my own office where I interact with Japanese and foreign co-workers alike: I would tell another of my superiors what happened. If s/he said "I'll look into it..." I would ask for a follow-up within a week to find out exactly how it was "looked into."

Some posters may believe that's too much, to let it go and not push an agenda that may be par for the course at home but is not part of the working culture here.

Some posters may believe it's not enough to only have a manager "look into it."

Sorry to go on here so long; your situation touched a nerve, and the response you received from one poster in particular was quite infuriating and unhelpful.

I do hope you will keep us posted on the situation. The advice to check the "Being-A-Broad" website is very good. There is a chat board there where you can post your problem and hopefully get some insight from people who may have had a similar situation.

I hope you'll find a solution; thanks for sharing.

Take care,
ws365

[TokyoLiz]

In an educational setting, it is totally inappropriate to have pornographic material on your desk or computer, no matter how commonplace it may be in the popular culture.

Just because men read porn openly on the train doesn't mean it's okay.

Talk to the folks at www.being-a-broad.com and see what they say. There are many people who participate in those forums who may be familiar with precedents regarding such behaviour. Or they may be able to refer you to someone who can help you out.

You were harassed. No two ways about it. You're within your right to complain.

[Big John Stud]

jwbhomer wrote:

OP, are you actually teaching ENGLISH? Your post is riddled with spelling and grammatical errors. As to your point, what difference does it make to you if the principal watches pornography? (Please note spelling.) Unless he hits on you, forget it!

I'll have to agree! As long as the principal is not not showing pornography to the students what he or she does in her/his office is no one else's business. The supervisor is most likely correct! The principal is probably doing research on selecting a sexual education film!

[Quibby84]

I would say that what he does AT HOME is his own business but what he does a his job (especially if his job is working with children!) is a completely different story.
When do you watch a porno video to learn about how sex works? Unless a lot has changed since I was in high school about 6 years ago, you don't watch porn in class, you look at completely non-sexual pictures of sex organs and then you hear a completely un-arousing story about how it all works.
Thinking this is ok is completely crazy, the school doesn't pay him to sit at his computer and watch porn...I cant believe I am arguing about this...crazy world we live in now....

[Chris21]

Get over it. It was in his private office on his computer, not in an "educational setting" and not "around children". It's not very professional, but sticking your nose into this is only going to result in you being ostracized. If you feel like alienating yourself from your coworkers (as the headstrong foreigner that wants to make waves) and making your boss an enemy, go ahead... raise a big stink.

[southofreality]

[Apsara]

I agree that that is really off. It is quite likely that the principal invited her into the office fully aware that she would see what was on his laptop.

There would be a huge uproar if this happened in any of our home countries, and rightly so. I can remember at least one incident in New Zealand of a teacher being fired for having pornography on a school computer, even though it wasn't shown to the children.

Unfortunately it is unlikely any action will be taken, but it is not something that can be excused on the grounds of "culture". I agree it is his business if he wants to have pornography on his computer but inviting the OP into his office and putting her in a situation where she could see what was on the screen turns it into harassment.

[Chris21]

How sexual harrassment is defined is a cultural issue. By western standards, reading a porno magazine in the teacher's lounge, including a bikini-clad model in the pages of a manga, or distributing sex-flyers in the mail may be innapproriate. However, these things seem to be fairly well-accepted here. While I think the Principal clearly has some problems, I don't think it warrants a sexual harrasment suit. The OP is just going to create a whole batch of problems for herself for something that was pretty inocuous. If he flashed her or groped her, sure... but a video-clip is just not worth it.

[The_Hanged_Man]

Personally, I do think what the principal did was inappropriate and if deliberate constitutes sexual harassment even by Japanese standards. I know of several teachers back home in the States who were fired just for looking at porn on their computers without involving coworkers or students.

That said, I'm not certain if it would be worth it for you to try to challenge him. Honestly, I think that you would just end up alienating yourself from your coworkers and that principal would just get a slap on the wrist at best. If it happens again I would just quit and put it behind me.

[azarashi sushi]

Am I the only one who smells a troll?

In Betty Lou's first post on this board, she's asking about whether she'll get groped if she catches the train during rush hour. On another thread entitled "What to teach jnr h/s GIRLS!!!", she suggests flirting, dating and anything slightly taboo as possible topics. And now, only on her 13th post, she's watching porn with the principal. Does anyone remember that troll a while back, called Lover? Betty Lou's posts sound suspiciously like his/hers.

One thing I'm curious about... I work at a high school. Last week on Tuesday, I taught my last class for the term. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday was the end-of-term test period. This week there are no classes and I'll start my summer vacation at the end of this week. Another friend of mine who teaches at high school finished all his class the week before last and is already on vacation. Every other teacher I know who is working at a junior or senior high school is either on or going on vacation very soon. But, you're just STARTING to teach at this school? Interesting!

I've worked at a fair few different schools in Japan over the years and everytime I've gone to a new school, there has always been a formal introduction in the teachers room with all the teachers, vice principal and principal. I'm surprised you didn't have this formal introduction with all the staff but instead were invited privately into the principal's office.

I'm assuming you work (if in fact you do work in Japan at all) for a dispatch company. A few years ago I worked for a dispatch company in public schools in Tokyo. I also went to three schools in one term. Everytime I went to a new school, someone from the company escorted me there and formally introduced me. I'm surprised that this company and school are so laid back. You don't get introduced to anyone else but just waltz straight into the principal's office.

Betty Lou, could you please describe the scene in the principal's office? I mean, where is his desk and where was he sitting or standing? Where were you standing and which way was the laptop facing? You seemed to be able to get a good look at the laptop... good enough to notice that there were three guys on one woman.

If he was sitting behind his desk and the laptop was facing him, then you would have had to have gone behind his desk in order to be able to see. If this is the case, then why did you go on his side of the desk? If you were on the other side of his desk but able to see, then the laptop would have had to have been turned around facing away from him. That seems strange. And you say he had the volume turned up???? I find it hard to believe that anyone would be so open and forward about such a thing, especially with someone who he has never met before and had the chance to "suss out".

I've lived in Japan for six years. I'm a man and I realise that men and women will have different experiences. However, in all my six years here, I've never seen one chikan or any one of these millions of salary men on the trains looking at porn that everyone always talks about. I'm not saying it doesn't exist, just that I've never seen it. Obviously I'm catching the wrong trains! (or the right ones!)

So, that's why I'm a little surprised that this guy is sitting in his office, watching porn on his laptop which is facing out for anyone to see who walks in, and with the volume turned up for anyone to hear. Knowing how stuffy school principals can be, I find your story rather hard to believe.

A.S.