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Andrew Escobedo (provided via Colleges of Arts and Sciences website)

Former English professor dismissed of sexual harassment claims

A joint motion was made to dismiss all of the claims made against Andrew Escobedo, a former Ohio University English professor, with prejudice last Friday.

Graduate students Christine Adams and Susanna Hempstead made the motion since their claims against Escobedo have been resolved through a settlement. Judge Algenon Marbley granted the dismissal.

The claims Adams and Hempstead have against OU and Joseph McLaughlin, an English professor, remain pending and are not subject to the settlement or this motion. 

In March 2017, Adams and Hempstead filed the initial complaint to the U.S. Southern District Court of Ohio Eastern Division. They argued that they were denied equal access to education through sexual harassment by Escobedo and deliberate indifference by McLaughlin and the university, according to a previous Post report

They also argued that McLaughlin and the university did not respond to a sexual misconduct complaint against Escobedo in 2006, which allowed his behavior to continue and violated their rights to equal access to education.

Adams and Hempstead filed the Title IX complaint against Escobedo that initiated the Office of Equity and Civil Rights Compliance investigation against him in March 2016. They told investigators that Escobedo had bought them drinks at an end-of-semester gathering at a local bar, touched them sexually and kissed one of them without consent after he commented that grades had not been submitted yet.

The Office of Equity and Civil Rights Compliance received six complaints that Escobedo bought female students drinks at bars and touched them without their consent. Investigators found enough evidence of sexual harassment in four of those cases. Some complaints are from as early as 2003. 

Escobedo has denied that he committed any sexual misconduct and argued he was not the one who submitted the women’s grades. Investigators from the Office of Equity and Civil Rights Compliance found that although co-instructors would submit grades to Escobedo, he was the one who ultimately submitted grades to the registrar, according to a previous Post report. 

He admitted that he invited students to an end-of-the-year celebration at Jackie O’s and bought the students about five rounds of drinks. He denied sexually touching either student.

Escobedo was going to face a dismissal and detenuring hearing on Sept. 1, 2017. He resigned in August  before the hearing, which was put into effect on Nov. 1, according to a previous Post report. 

@ewagner19

ew047615@ohio.edu

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