Free Sexual Misconduct in Schools: Analysis in Terms of Existentialism

Sexual misconduct in schools is a deeply concerning issue that has garnered significant attention and sparked crucial discussions on its root causes and possible explanations. Among the various philosophical perspectives that can shed light on this complex social problem, existentialism emerges as a thought-provoking lens to analyze the underlying dynamics of sexual misconduct in educational settings. Rooted in the fundamental questions of human existence, existentialism delves into the individual's freedom, responsibility, and authentic self, providing a unique framework to comprehend the motives, behaviors, and consequences related to sexual misconduct in schools. In this essay, we will explore the role of existentialism in the explanation of sexual misconduct in educational environments.

Existentialism concerns and basic purposes are within the physical, social, personal and spiritual dimensions of beings including the abuse and sexual conducts that will be specifically explored. Sexual abuse comprises inherent variations depending upon the age of children, the specific act committed by an adult, and the type of relationship between an adult and child. Physical contact sexual abuse includes the perpetrator behaviors such as fondling and forced intercourse or penetration, which all is easily experienced at schools without the pupils noticing it is actually abuse as their minds are still on the developing and exploration set.

The State of Sexual Misconduct in Schools

An American study has stated that, although accurate childhood sexual abuse rates are difficult to obtain, Pereda, Guilera, Forns, and Gomez-Benito concluded that approximately 25% of women in the United States are survivors of childhood sexual abuse in schools. In their meta-analysis of the prevalence of childhood sexual abuse across an international sample of 22 countries, the researchers projected that 19.7% of women experience sexual abuse before the age of 18. Africa was reported as having the highest prevalence rate (34%) and Europe was reported as having the lowest prevalence rate (9%). In a similar study of an Australian sample, 34% of women reported non-penetrative sexual abuse (e.g., inappropriate touch behaviors such as fondling) during childhood while 12% reported penetrative sexual abuse (e.g., rape).It must be note that the cases that come out are just exceptional and gives thorough scrutiny in schools.

A child’s social world, and/or the family environment have been associated with a higher prevalence of abuse which tender irrational behaviors at school. An insecure parenting attachment, a lack of parental supervision, and a family history of sexual abuse have common factors associated with victimization. Thus to the school children involved and the teachers thereof. Carlson, Laurie, states that, Existentialism allows for the consideration of such abstruse emotional and social factors as being, meaning, freedom, choice, and anxiety. This is important when considering the existential perspective to explore the world of sexual misconduct in schools. Adolescents may manifest existential anxiety in a variety of ways, including choosing isolation, becoming inward, and manifesting hostility. Pre-adolescents and adolescents are more likely than children to express their existential anguish through acting out or arbitrary acts of violence. This is how the existentialism is thus allowing freedom of an individual without being judged thereof. One will then argue if the teachers are on the wrong in these circumstances or the pupils are also expressing themselves in a manner that is not condoned by most societies.

Bruce Raup, suggests that existentialist philosophers and writers as a group are most critical of the systems, institutions, and technologies that endeavor to destroy the essential human qualities and disrupt man’s authentic relation to the world. Strain says, 'In terms of its content, modern existential thinking focuses on the human person in a technological and scientific age. The institutional organization of science, by and for the state, has dehumanized man. Herein a number of philosophies will be explored to understand learning environment in schools.

According to Darryl Wardle, philosophical existentialism has sought to understand the nature of human existence and the possible meaning(s) that might be made thereof. It has been said thereof that meaning of life cannot be said to subsist somewhere beyond the province of individual human existence, since meaning is born of a fundamental freedom which inheres in human consciousness. Furthermore, the definition extends to believe that individuals are entirely free and must take personal responsibility for although with this responsibility comes angst, profound anguish or dread. It therefore emphasizes action, freedom and decision as fundamental, and holds that the only way to rise above the essentially absurd condition of humanity which is characterized by suffering and inevitable death is by exercising our personal freedom and choice.

Sexual Misconduct as a Serious Offence to the Rights of the Learners

A school is an institution that gathers the educators and learners together with an objective of transmit the knowledge from the educators to the learners. Within the school premises there are a lot of unwelcomed behaviors that are identified and those behaviors they stand as obstacles for the provision of quality education and the effective teaching and learning practices. Sexual misconduct is one of the unaccepted behaviors, it can be defined to as the violation of learners rights to safety and education in the education setting, this may include; sexual harassment, abuse or any wrong physical contact. It has been proven by researches that a lot of learner’s experience sexual harassment, this mostly is done by the male educators to the school girls learners. This misconduct, does not only affect the learning practice but also it affects the emotional and psychological being of the learners which may sometimes lead to depression. Through the integration of philosophical perspective in trying to bring guidelines to the matter of sexual misconduct in schools, it promotes that for every individual to find the true meaning of their lives they need to do self-discovery, because this will help them be able to find their uniqueness and become better people whom runs with the understanding of the meaning of life. Existentialism bring integration of support system in education that will drive the learners into being the independent people who does not only take what appears to them give the definition of their lives, but to stand as people who take what they perceive and attach it to their live experiences and this help them find the best way of self-identification. Moreover, educators who conduct sexual misconduct in schools inhibit the ability of the learners to learn from the experiences that they are exposed to in order for them to prepare for the future, instead it can be said that they are eye closed and oppressed by actions of sexual misconduct.

What Other Philosophies Say About This Issue?

Matthew Lynch, talks about the importance to understand how philosophy and education are interrelated. In order to become the most effective teacher you can be, you must understand your own beliefs, while at the same time empathizing with others educators should know about the philosophy of education which is a pivotal philosophy that can assist with sexual misconduct in schools will it be strictly followed and understood.

Matthews states that, the major philosophies of education can be broken down into three main types: teacher-centered philosophies, student-centered philosophies, and society-centered philosophies. These include Essentialism, Perennialism, Progressivism, Social Reconstructionist, Existentialism, Behaviorism, Constructivism, Conservatism, and Humanism as a central bone of discussion.

Essentialism and Perennialism are the two types of teacher-centered philosophies of education. Essentialism is currently the leading style of public education predominantly mostly in the United States and is the teaching of basic skills that have been proven over time to be needed in society. Perennialism focuses on the teaching of great works to an extent such may provide much guidance on the teacher learner relationship and to fight the sexual misconducts in school.

Furthermore, Matthew Lynch, states that, there are three types of student-centered philosophies of education. Progressivism focuses on developing the student’s moral compass. Humanism is about fostering each student to his or her fullest potential. Constructivism focuses on using education to shape a student’s world view.

There are two types of socially-centered philosophies of education. Reconstructionism is the perspective that education is the means to solve social problems. Behaviorism focuses on cultivating behaviors that are beneficial to society. The reconstructionist then contains a teacher who involves the students in discussions of moral dilemmas to understand the implications of one’s actions. Students individually select their objectives and social priorities and then, with guidance from the teacher, create a plan of action to make the change happen.

Within the above philosophies of education mentioned it can be expressed that they all centers that focus of being able to make decisions as individuals, combined if there is understanding on both the learners and teachers the focus is and can help understand between the community and the learners with teachers as to what is expected in the society and the limits of choices as it is important to identify your own philosophy of education in order to understand your own system of values and beliefs so that you are easily able to describe your teaching style to potential employers as a tool for educators to determine their educational philosophy. 

It can then be said that educational philosophy, views schools as tools to solve social problems. Social reconstructionist reason that, because all leaders are the product of schools, schools should provide a curriculum that fosters their development. Reconstructionist not only aim to educate a generation of problem solvers, but also try to identify and correct many noteworthy social problems that face our nation, with diverse targets including racism, pollution, homelessness, poverty, and sexual misconducts in school. Rather than a philosophy of education, reconstructionism may be referred to as more of a remedy for a society that seeks to build a more objective social order. For social reconstructionist, the class becomes an area where societal improvement is an active and measurable goal.

Conclusion

At the end convinced that existentialism should be seen as more than a fad, however, and that it still has something to offer us today. Existentialists are philosophers of living, really care about freedom where individuals choose what to do free, responsible, without excuse, and every hope lies within him, some existentialists have interesting sex lives furthermore tackle painful realities that are not to be misjudged but not all existentialism is about jolly sex romps which rebuts the statement aforementioned by the General about sexual misconducts in schools. It also confronts aspects of the human condition that we might prefer not to think about, but that will not go away. 

In conclusion, exploring the role of existentialism in explaining sexual misconduct in schools has provided us with valuable insights into the complexities of this pressing issue. Existentialism, as a philosophical perspective, delves into the core aspects of human existence, such as freedom, choice, and the search for meaning, offering a unique framework to understand the motivations and behaviors that underlie sexual misconduct in educational settings.

Bibliography

• Bruce Rump, (2015) The Improvement of Practical Intelligence University of Toronto, School of Librarianship.
• Carlson, Laurie , 2017, Existential Theory: Helping School Counselors Attend to Youth at Risk for Violence.
• Darryl Wardle (2016) A contemporary sense of existentialism, South African Journal of Philosophy, 35:3, 336-344, DOI: 10.1080/02580136.2016.1209932.
• Matthew Lynch, (2017) Things that educators should know about the philosophy of education Ralph Koerraz, (2016) Extensialism and Education “an introduction to Otto Friedrich Bollnow”
• Riokay, J. 2007. South Africa’s approach to school safety: can succeed, Journal of education, 42(1): 107-110.