Dear Dr. Kirk:
Recently, one of my students came to me complaining about another student, “Bob.” According to the student, Bob has such an offensive body odor that students don’t want to sit next to him and his team doesn’t want to work with him. This is the first time I've encountered a problem like this and I really don't know how to handle it. What should I do? Awkward in Boise
Dear Awkward,
Your first instinct may be to either ignore the problem or to confront Bob and tell him to take a shower. However, there are a number of issues here that you should consider before talking to Bob.
Ignoring the problem probably won't make it go away. Before taking any steps though, you need to verify the accuracy of the complaint. It could be that the other students just don’t like Bob and want to embarrass him. Ask Bob to see you after class and make your own first hand observation to make sure there really is a problem. You want to be sure that the student who complained to you didn't have an ulterior motive.
Be aware that the body odor issue could be covered by state or federal discrimination laws. For example, the odor could be caused by a medical condition and thus fall under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Or, it may be the result of an ethnic diet which could be covered by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Don't make assumptions as to what is causing the body odor. For example, don't assume that it is the person's diet and ask that Bob change his eating habits.
If you have determined that there is a body odor problem, approach the student with tact but state the facts. Tell the student he has a problem that is affecting others and that you expect him to take care of it. Be sympathetic but direct. Conduct the conversation one-on-one in your office or in a private area. Do ask for suggestions on what Bob thinks he could do to solve the problem. Perhaps he is coming straight to class from working out at the gym and could reschedule his exercise time. Be sure and check up afterwards to make sure the problem is solved and that the students are not teasing Bob.
Although problems like this may be embarrassing to deal with, they are more common that many people realize and can range from heavy perspiration odors, lack of regular bathing, or too much perfume. Many times the student doesn't realize that the problem exists until confronted. Thus, it's important to preserve the student's dignity and handle the issue with tact.
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