A School Received Backlash For Banning Student-Teacher Dating And Firing Rule Breakers
When a school in Japan fired six employees for breaking its anti-fraternization policy, the decision wasn’t well-received.
Nova (formerly Nova Group, also known as Nova Corp.) is a popular eikaiwa school (a privately operated school for teaching English) with over 300 branches in Japan. Nova offers English courses for adults and children, as well as travel agency and telecommunication services, depending on the branch.
Nova has forbidden foreign teachers and students from socializing outside the classroom, and, as a result, six employees were fired for breaking this rule. Two employees, one of whom lost their job because of Nova’s anti-fraternization policy, filed a complaint with the Osaka Bar Association, claiming that the rule was discriminatory; only foreign employees had an anti-fraternization clause in their contracts.
Instructors can be harassed and disciplined for socializing with people they don’t even know are Nova students.
— Robert Bisom, one of two plaintiffs who filed the complaint against Nova
Nova claimed that the clause was included to “protect both the teachers and the students from trouble, as they do not know each other’s cultures and customs.” Some teachers claimed the policy created an environment of “paranoia” since the anti-fraternization policy did not just apply to student-teacher dating. It applied to all socializing outside of school.
We cannot allow kissing or improper conduct (in our schools).
— Yukitomo Ishimatsu, a Nova director
One of the employees in question, who was 30 at the time, had been demoted and transferred after news of his relationship with a 21-year-old student reached Nova. Two employees were fired for getting engaged to their students.
Reactions to the policy and terminations were mixed. According to a report by The Japan Times, one student claimed the policy was “impossible to police,” while a teacher pointed out that Nova’s students and teachers are all adults who can make their own decisions.
- “I would suspect some students would come there to see teachers, and also outside of school. Sounds like a moral choice to me. Personally, I wouldn’t do it.”
— Jonas Kirkegaard (Student, 28)
- “It’s like dating people at work. If the relationship goes bad, then maybe the student won’t come back, and I guess the school doesn’t want that.”
— Carla Swinehart (English teacher, 25)
- “It seems pretty impossible to police. Blanket rules like that are a bit silly. I actually dated a student when I taught, but there’s a natural tendency to be discreet.”
— Simon Creak (Student, 31)
- “When it’s to the detriment of the school’s business. I think, as a professional, it wouldn’t be right to take advantage of a paying customer. Beyond that, it’s not high school. People are adults and can choose for themselves.”
— Thatcher Spero (English teacher, 25)
- “I think it’s really professional not to get involved, but once you’re in love, then you’re in love.”
— Yuka Uda (Student, 18)
The complaint with the Osaka Bar Association was filed in 2003. At least one Nova employee who claimed that Nova interfered in their personal life–an Australian who taught there in the early 2000s–received an out-of-court settlement (for the amount of ¥400,000, approximately $2,540 USD). Twenty-one years later, the anti-fraternization policy is still in place.
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