Ex-student says former jazz prof Steve Kirby was a bully and the reason he left U of M music school
Jacob Herd says Kirby, now charged with sexual assault, often made inappropriate comments, mocked students
Jacob Herd's love of music started young — as cliché as he says it might sound, he was one of those kids who just loved banging on pots and pans.
That love for music is why he was ecstatic when he got into the University of Manitoba's jazz program.
But Herd says his dream of going to school there quickly soured because of former professor Steve Kirby, who has now been charged with sexual assault after a former 19-year-old female student came forward to police in June 2017.
"My kind of go-to line with regards to him is he's one of the biggest bullies I've had to deal with in my life," said Herd, speaking publicly about Kirby for the first time on Wednesday.
Herd, who attended the U of M from September 2010 to April 2012, said Kirby was often late for class, made inappropriate racial comments like, "You kids are playing this super white," and mocked another student for his height, calling him "Frodo" in reference to the Lord of the Rings character.
Wrote letter to university in support of peer
Herd said he never witnessed anything sexual in nature but that Kirby made comments to one of Herd's female friends about dressing in more feminine clothes, because she dressed androgynously.
"That didn't seem to fit with his ideas of how a woman should dress for performance. I mean, he would often make inappropriate, sort of snide comments about that."
Herd said his friend filed a human rights complaint with the university about the matter and other students also complained about Kirby.
Herd himself wrote a letter to the university in support of his friend and to tell the university about Kirby's behaviour but he said as far as he knows the university didn't do anything.
"It was just incredibly discouraging, and it was disheartening to see that this is someone in a position of power and they're getting away with this behaviour."
Herd said he approached Kirby in person in December of 2010 to tell him he was considering changing schools and to bring up some of Kirby's conduct that made him feel uncomfortable.
He said Kirby told him to get over it and once again, nothing changed.
"From the student perspective, nothing was done. No movement was made. You know, Steve didn't have to answer for his behaviours and it's disappointing to see. It's a bit disillusioning as well."
Ultimately, Herd said Kirby's conduct was the biggest reason he left the U of M in 2012 for Brandon University, where he went on to get a degree.
Kirby left the university in June 2017 after being on leave for six months.
Winnipeg police confirmed Monday they arrested Kirby in May, and he was officially charged in June with sexual assault. A former 19-year-old female student alleges she was assaulted several times by Kirby between September 2014 and January 2017.
Kirby is due to stand trial next June on the charge. When reached at home by phone, he declined to comment on this story.
5 investigations into faculty members
The University of Manitoba confirmed last week there are five open investigations into faculty members under the school's respectful work and sexual assault policy.
One investigation involves allegations of sexual assault and personal harassment, another involves allegations of sexual assault and sexual harassment, another involves a sexual harassment allegation, and two are human-rights related, the university said.
Two of the five faculty members being investigated are currently on leave. University spokesperson John Danakas wouldn't clarify whether a faculty member involved in a sexual assault or sexual harassment investigation was still on campus.
He also wouldn't respond to Herd's claims, saying Kirby's case is now before the courts.
"Appropriate measures are taken during investigations to address any safety and concerns; nobody posing a risk is allowed to be in contact with the campus community," he wrote in an email.
The University of Manitoba Students' Union said Wednesday it feels left in the dark about the investigations but understands confidentiality has to be protected for both a survivor of an assault and the university member accused.
"If there is a belief that that person is a threat to students on campus then we would like to see them not on campus," said UMSU president Jakob Sanderson.
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