In today’s episode of Just This, Rick and I discuss a story that has rocked the San Antonio literary scene. Hailey Laine Johnson, now 31 years old, on May 9 posted on Facebook a description of a situation that she says happened to her when she was a 14-year-old creative writing student at the North East School of the Arts.
In that posting, Johnson alleges that Bryce Milligan, who over decades became one of San Antonio’s leading literary figures, engaged in inappropriate conduct with her when she was his student, beginning in the fall of 2001. She and her mother took her complaints in March of 2002 to school administrators, who, after an investigation, recommended that Milligan be terminated. He resigned before school officials fired him, claiming to do so to “protect” the creative writing program there. Milligan has denied Johnson’s allegations.
Johnson’s disclosures have brought her overwhelming support, both from people who were her classmates at the time, and from women who claim to have had similar experiences. But they also have prompted a number of the city’s literary organizations to decry the alleged behavior and to distance themselves swiftly from Milligan.
We discuss the ramifications of Johnson’s story, both personally to her, and in its larger impact in the context of the national #MeToo movement. And we examine what is, unfortunately, an old story regarding men in power and the predatory behavior in which they sometimes engage.
Join us every Friday for Just This. Listen in and send us your feedback. Just This, produced by Photo Editor Scott Ball, will be available here on the Rivard Report and on iTunes and Stitcher at 5 a.m.
Your followup to this story should include when and where in San Antonio schools Mr. Milligan taught after his resignation in 2002.
Your fu story should include what consequences the NE school officials will experience for allowing him to leave employment with the ability to inflict himself on other students in other districts.
Catherine I could be wrong but he didnt teach anywhere else? He did however teach workshops in schools. Its on his website I think. Significantly his time at NESA is left out. Thank you Beth and Rick for adding to the coverage of this “serial muse-gatherer”, even if it causes me to take multiple showers. All of us in the arts community should continue to speak out in support of young women like Hailey ( and others now coming forward) and in condemnation of Milligan’s actions.