SCALING EDUCATION'S IVORY TOWER /
University of Pennsylvania Stu..
Is the Safe Transfer Act Unsafe?
What will you do about our sch..
by Jessica Lau
Must Read News Politics Sex
On December 8, 2016, House Representative Jackie Speier (D – California) announced plans to endorse a bill titled the "Safe Transfer Act." If passed, this legislation would require college students, who were accused of rape, to include the rape charges on their transcripts. According to Speier, this regulation would track students accused of rape and other students would abstain from committing sex crimes on campus. Also, Speier noted that rape cases should be not be taken lightly, and the accused should be seriously punished just as those who committed plagiarism (The Blaze).
While the intentions are good in terms of preventing rape cases on campus, making those records public will do more harm to both the accused and the victims. Consequently, this whole incident feels like the situation in the Scarlet Letter, a socially complex tale revolving around the punishment of a woman who committed adultery – having to wear a scarlet letter "A" in public. Similar to the novel's synopsis, the transcripts would follow the "accusers," primarily men, around, whether they are guilty or innocent. This instance would further humiliate the "accusers" when they look for employment or other opportunities, and it will most likely turn them down. As with the victims, usually women, they are still condemned in rape cases due to lack of evidence and the timeliness/lateness of the reports. So, no one would take them seriously. Therefore, the accusation of rape printed on transcripts would lead to more of a double standard issue (Washington Examiner). Presently, states including Virginia and New York have implemented similar types of laws, and those legislations were not as effective in their execution. In short, the bill instigates the backwards way of thinking: "guilty until proven innocent." Our modern government is based on the idea of being innocent until proven guilty in order to prevent wrongful incarceration or death sentences of innocent civilians, and it has worked for centuries in the United States. In this case, this bill would be a "lose-lose" situation for everyone affected.
About Jessica Lau
Hi, my name is Jessica Lau! I graduated from California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications with honors. During my time at CSUF, I was a reporter and editor at Titan Communications and studied abroad in Italy to produce and edit a feature-length newscast, World Press Italy. Also, I was a freelancer for the campus newspaper, The Daily Titan, where I wrote and produced editorials about campus events. After graduation, I interned for the County of Orange, where I worked as a cinematographer and editor for their local commercials and promotional videos about hazardous waste disposals. I am excited to work for High Faluter to shed light on today's pressing issues that young people care about! I am currently working on blogging topics of interest, including gender and environmental issues. In my spare time, I love to dance, sing, and write creatively.
Paving the Future: A Starving Artist's Rendition - September 15, 2019
Why are International Students Pouring into Canadian Colleges Instead of American Universities? - August 17, 2017
"Summer Melt" Creates a Monster Barrier for Freshmen and Incoming Students - July 27, 2017
MIT Devises Nifty Way of Allowing Students to Bypass Undergrad: Introducing MITx - July 17, 2017
california, house of representatives, jackie speier, rape, sexual assault, stigma, the scarlet letter
Conceptualizing Sexual Assault in the #MeToo Age
by Megan Lear
Eggsploitation: Egg Donation and the Elimination of Women's Reproductive Rights
by Lesly Guzman
SUNY refuses to comply with Cuomo's request to review new campus sexual assault procedures
by Emily Benson
Dedicated To Independent Students
Ideas or suggestions? Email our Managing Editor, Megan Lear (Megan.Lear@HighFaluter.com). All correspondence is kept confidential!
Ta-da!
HIGH FALUTER