To think this person should be removed from our course?

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Hi,

Had a horrible encounter today at Uni. A small group of us were doing some quiet work in preparation for a presentation we're giving. The three of us were working away quite happily in an empty classroom, when another member of our course came in and joined us (for clarity, I'll call her Patty- not her real name.) Patty was putting other members of our class down and made a comment about some recent results where she got a pass grade, but someone else in the room had had to change a few things to pass that assignment.

One of the other women (Claire, not real name/clarity) made a joking remark along the lines of 'well, some of us got good marks'. Claire seemed to realize her comment wasn't very nice and said sorry straight away. Patty then got up and demanded that Claire join her in the hallway. At this point, Patty was visibly angry and was shouting that she wanted an apology.

I tried to calm things down by pointing out Claire had said sorry, and that everyone needed to calm down. I got told to fuck off. Patty then stormed out of the room, slammed the door behind her then came back in and really let rip, calling Claire some really horrible things (including the phrase 'pandered to cunt and a terrible fucking mother- Claire's Mum watches her little boy when she's in classes.) Patty threatened to slap Claire.

At this point, Claire was almost in tears so I stepped in again and got between them. Patty got right in my face and told me I was a 'horrible fat cunt who thought I was better than everyone else' and I honestly thought she was going to hit me.

At this point, some of the senior lectures stepped in and told Patty to leave. I'm not sure what's going to happen but I don't want to continue the course if Patty is still on it because I'm not comfortable around her now. Claire went home because she was so upset and I've just heard through a mutual friend that she's been in tears over it.

I'd like to ask for Patty to be removed from the course and I think Claire feels the same. Neither of us have had chance to speak to our course tutor over it (we're all in tomorrow so will see her then). I honestly feel sick when I think of going in. What do I do now?

Well the police won't do anything, they tend to expect adults and an insistution like a university to be able to sort these things out without their support, quite rightly. So it's not about patty getting away with it.

Actually, reading back I think it was you who escalated this - if you had let Claire apologise to Patty when she was asking her to join her in the hallway, this may never have happened.

Was she shouting already when she asked her to join her in the hallway? At what point did she start shouting?

The University will have a duty to investigate this if you flag it up to them. It is highly unlikely though that Patty will be removed from the course as that very rarely happens.

Instasista

No, not quite rightly. This isn't kids scrapping. The woman is a fully grown adult. Her behaviour was criminal. I would expect the police to investigate.

I don't think the OP escalated things. Claire had already apologised (for something that didn't sound that nasty in the scheme of things anyway) and OP probably stepped in because she was worried for Claire (I admire that). It was bad enough for staff to get involved.. Hopefully that will mean it's been noted anyway. I would put an official report/complaint in and talk to your tutor. Hopefully this nutty girl will realise she's put her course on rocky ground and needs to calm down, if she continues hopefully action will be taken.

It's not up to you to get Patty kicked out of anything

They wouldn't though

Instasista

I don't see why not.

Report it as a verbal attack. The uni should have a procedure and will (should) take it very seriously!

The OP may not have been directly threatened with physical violence but her classmate Patty WAS threatened. It's understandable for the OP to be apprehensive of being physically assaulted by someone screaming in her face after witnessing her threatening to slap the other classmate seconds before!

It's really not a police matter. They have got far better things to do than deal with people who shout and slam doors.

As other people said, the University can and will deal with this.

Sorry, got names mixed up - Claire was directly threatened with violence by Patty .

Because the police don't investigate whatever you want them to. They're not an on demand service. An argument which has been broken
Up and is being dealt with by the uni is not something they will involve themselves further in. Whats the point in advising the OP to waste her time?

Instasista

The police investigate allegations of threats of assault. That is their job. That this happened in a university setting is irrelevant. I work in a school and would report another adult speaking to me like this to police, no question.

Well I work for the police so can imagine the sort of response you get...

Well, they would receive the complaint from me nevertheless. It's illegal, so I would need to hear from police themselves that they refused to investigate, and for what reason.

Trifle the police are under resourced at the moment as it is. Reporting it would just be a waste of time and taking away their energy / time / funding that could actually be used on, you know........ real crimes?!

19lottie82L

Threats of violence are real crime.

Well the police aren't going to say anything particularly interesting to you. That they're happy to leave it with the university, or that there is no realistic chance of prosecution.

I did assume that everyone knew the police didn't persue every single thing that is technically illegal, but even if you didn't realise that I don't see where OP has been threatened with violence? The dialogue doesn't reflect that.

'Patty threatened to slap Claire' - directly from the OP. As Claire, I would report it. And no, I don't report everything that is technically illegal.

KarmaNoMore

Well that is dreadful. It wouldn't stop me making the report.