Dal’s dentistry scandal: one more footnote in a seismic social and gender transformation

For me, the most intriguing section of Friday’s 65-page “Report from the Restorative Justice Process at the Dalhousie University Faculty of Dentistry” is the one that documents the evolution of the now-infamous “Class of DDS 2015 Gentlemen” group. The Facebook group caused a scandal and resulted in the suspension of 13 male students after sexist […]

The great dentistry scandal of 2014, 2015… and counting

What to make of last week’s latest twists, turns, ins, outs and roundabouts in the never-ending root canal that is Dalhousie’s Great Dentistry Scandal of 2014, 2015… and counting? Who knows? The better answer, perhaps, is that (slightly) fewer social media posters and media pontificators seem so keen to rush to instant pre-judgment, conviction and […]

Restorative justice? Yes, but also…

After a brief holiday respite, Dalhousie University must try — again — to reset a raveled, roiling mess that may have initially focused on one secret Facebook group but has now morphed into broader, thornier and out-of-the-university’s-control debates about restorative justice, public safety, crime, punishment, education, rape culture, life and who gets to decide how […]

2014: The year the conversation changed

I followed last week’s news stories about Dalhousie dental school with a mixture of oh-no shock and not-again recognition. The week began with revelations about a misnamed, misogynous Facebook group: “The Class of DDS 2015 Gentlemen.” Thirteen male graduating dental students had shared anti-women screeds, voted on which female classmate they’d most like to “hate […]