An elementary-school teacher in Kaohsiung has been accused of sexual harassment after making what she has later said was a joke and is scheduled for review by a gender equity committee, the school said in a statement released yesterday.

On Wednesday last week, the teacher, whose name has not been disclosed, asked her sixth-grade class what movie they wanted to watch.

When one of the students suggested watching pornography, the teacher suggested that a female student act out such a movie for them.

The teacher chose the student because her name includes the character for “love” (愛, ai), which her classmates reportedly made fun of in the past, nicknaming her “make love.”

The sixth-grader texted her father about what had happened, saying she felt extremely uncomfortable with the situation.

When her parents went to the school to discuss the issue, the teacher, who has been in the profession for more than 20 years, reportedly admitted that her remark was inappropriate, but said that it was just a joke gone wrong.

The school has verbally admonished the teacher, but has not punished her, to the discontent of the student’s parents, who decided to publicize the incident.

After the incident received media attention, the school assembled a gender equity review committee, which decided that the matter relates to gender equality and it would carry out a thorough investigation.

The committee is on Monday to start an investigation into alleged sexual harassment and determine whether the teacher is fit to continue teaching at the school, it said.

The teacher has taken a leave of absence, but has said she would cooperate with the investigation, the school said.

[Taipei Times, 2018-04-07]