The past few weeks at Seaman High School have been frustrating. The sexual harassment allegations that have been talked about for weeks have been plaguing the minds of everyone. We, as a journalism staff, have been frustrated with the lack of answers to our many questions. After thinking about this situation for quite some time, I have realized that this problem is not going to just blow over in a couple of days.

Justice takes time, so we cannot be pointing fingers at people without looking into the situation a little deeper. Everyone is doing the best they can to bring about the justice that the sexual harassment victims deserve. But, people need to recognize that this problem is not just a one time thing. What SHS is facing right now is a national problem. We need to realize that to fix this, we have to take this situation and use it to learn and grow as a society.

As much as we wish it was possible, no one can turn back time and undo everything that has happened. Instead of sitting back and waiting for the events to unfold, this is the perfect opportunity to be educated on the root of the problem.

The beginning of the solution starts with understanding that online sexual harassment cannot just be fixed with the simple blocking of the harasser. This leads to threats, blackmail, and dangerous situations. A person cannot just block and move on. So, instead of thinking “well they shouldn’t have sent the pictures”, think “that person should never have asked for pictures in the first place” and “no one should ever be threatened and blackmailed for a picture”. People need to listen to the victims stories before they start blaming them.

Sexual harassment cannot be eliminated overnight. It is going to take a lot of time, education, and work. As a society, this is the time to come together and rally behind those affected.