Julie Lythcott-Haims should have leveled with the voters two years ago about why she left her job as a dean at Stanford following a relationship she had with an undergraduate.
According to an online essay the undergrad published last week, the young woman’s parents complained to Stanford officials about the relationship, and soon thereafter Lythcott-Haims resigned.
Nobody is saying Lythcott-Haims broke the law. Apparently, she didn’t even violate any Stanford policies about faculty having sex with students, though those rules have since been tightened up.
But her judgment is terrible. Her relationship with the female undergraduate reeks of recklessness, selfishness and an inability to control one’s impulses. As a dean, you’re supposed to be a role model to students.
A parenting expert?
The undergraduate said that when she revealed the year-long affair to her parents, they were horrified and felt Lythcott-Haims had been grooming their daughter. Lythcott-Haims writes books about parenting. What parent would trust Lythcott-Haims’ advice after learning about this sordid affair? What parent would want their child’s first romantic relationship to be with somebody twice their age?
Lythcott-Haims also erred by keeping the reason why she left Stanford a secret before the 2022 council election when she was elected. Voters had a right to know why a candidate lost a high-profile job, so they could decide if she should hold another top-level job. Council members make decisions that affect the lives and livelihoods of their constituents. Candor is part of the job of a council member.
Poor judgment
In the 2022 race, her lack of good judgment became obvious when she began to lash out at Palo Altans following her poor performance in a candidate debate. In one instance, she smeared Palo Alto Planning Commissioner Doria Summa as being associated with Jim Crow.
One of her more recent misjudgments was her decision to enter the primary for Congress. She couldn’t win but running for office can be an ego trip to some people. Unfortunately, she pulled enough Palo Alto votes to cause longtime local public servant Joe Simitian to lose to two South Bay politicians. Palo Alto has now lost its congressional seat to San Jose or Campbell.
If she can’t exercise good judgment in her personal life, she won’t make solid decisions for the public either. When it comes to public servants, character matters. Lythcott-Haims should step down from City Council.
Editor Dave Price’s column appears on Mondays in the Daily Post.
