Now the students may be less prepared for rape, rape that happens off campus(like a clean house doesnt prepare a person for germs), due to their sheltered background, but thats not exactly the schools fault. Smith says that the administration cracked down on professors hosting off-campus parties, because they involved drinking. Although the school imposed sanctions on the young man, he was taken under the wing of one of its founders and professors, William Marshner, and he lived in Marshners house for the semester he was barred from living on campus. This sexualization makes things particularly difficult for men because on men simply of the way men are wired. They brought the skills of their craft to shining a light on the dark underbelly of this college. Or how uber conservatives throw trad and Tridentine around like they are some kind of guarantee for sanctity. Higher rates of rape, according to USNews&World Report. Not a one that I knew. The school apparently based its response on two facts: First, there was, in 2011, no clause in the student handbook prohibiting sexual assault. Ive always thought that would be delightful and I graduated in 2000 from Christendom. We trusted each other and believed ourselves to be a self-selecting group of the Good Guys. The criticism is directed towards how the school handled the matter after the legal authorities failed. Christendom College was founded in response to this cultural revolution, providing a fully integrated liberal arts education in fidelity to the Magisterium of the Church. In all likelihood it would not have happened on campus because they would not have been alone together. Undergraduate students combine a liberal arts core-curriculum with eventual upper-level courses in their major field (or fields) of study. Gigi, when I dated a man who attended Christendom, we had extended conversations about the philosophy of human nature that led one of the professors to conclude that, among other things, (a) women are ontologically inferior to men and (b) women shouldnt vote. Our on-campus nurse and counselor are available at no cost and can help with trauma and recovery. Thats seriously twisted to put your struggles onto a rape victim. The students arent punished for drinking off campus, they are punished for being drunk ON campus. The River and the drinking that occurs there is an open secret that the administration is aware of. A recent blog, which contains misleading information and serious inaccuracies, was posted about Christendom College. This puts students at greater risk. Thank you for writing that. In addition, the article didnt clarify that the college has gotten rid of many of the policies and rules that are being blamed in this article for the assaults (e.g., the no-holding hands rule was jettisoned a while ago). It doesnt make sense to me. Why shes even Catholic I do not understand. Its not that a policy would prevent the problem but rather that it would provide grounds for discipline within the schools jurisdiction. @ChristendomVA. She remembers standing outside the car, smoking a cigarette and shaking, and her boyfriend saying he didnt know why she was making such a big deal out of it. A private institution that is not subject to federal collegiate regulations has such flexibility. Contact Leslie Mathews by email at lmathews@christendom.edu or by phone by calling 540.551.9300. Accordingly, its students have less recourse when the schools policies drastically fail to adequately protect them against such assaults. Tag: racism National Congress on the Word of God: A Two-Edged Sword. Its bad because just by the quotes of things hes said, Im pretty sure hes exactly the kind of guy who would force himself on a woman. Men should feel degraded by this way of thought. . "[9] Fedoryka resigned in 1992, in order to pursue other educational ventures, including stints at Franciscan University of Steubenville[10] and Ave Maria College in Michigan (later Ave Maria University FL.[11]). The administration handled a tough situation, that had no evidence supporting the claims of the girl, as best as can be expected. We are committed in our policies, our procedures, and in our on-campus culture to uphold and promote the dignity of women and men. The college now employs more than 40 full-time faculty members,[16] compared to the original five, along with a number of adjunct members. I sympathize with the people who want a man to be expelled based on one womans testimony (such as in the above article), but we have to admit that is at the expense of innocent men getting expelled as well. But the stubborn Irish in me determined if I left, he would win. And yet, with your ability to judge her soul, you dont know why That is mysterious indeed. The basement of the admissions office (a building which, Im pretty sure, is condemned but still functions as an office despite the dangers) had a breaker room in the back behind 2 locked doors. He RETIRED a year or so ago. Which they could now do on campus anyway. What drives couples off campus is the desire to do things that are prohibited on campus. She sought psychological help from Dr. Patrick Divietri. Required fields are marked *. they arent normal. She will do all she can to honor your requests and make your experience with Christendom College a pleasant and memorable one. Error thrives in darkness. So printing, rape is not tolerated or whatever they expected to be printed in the handbook sounds a little naive. But is it really fair to expect men to navigate all the mixed signals? All the people who are asking if Christendom girls could really be that naive, yes! Gross inaccuracies in the story include quoting someone as saying men and women arent allowed to even sit next to each other. I can tell you personally when I read the hand holding policy I thought it was a paper rule, I had no idea the lengths of its enforcement. I went there for one semester (spring 2014). You can see it, you can feel it on the campusWhile some colleges in this Guide may match its Catholic commitment, it is unlikely that any exceeds it., Six months after graduation, the members of the Class of 2022 had an overall success rate of, based on a survey with a 100% knowledgerate. The accused do NOT have to prove their innocence. Not really much in her comment to provoke a snippy answer anyway. Tweets. There is much that reeks of shoddy reporting in these two pieces: basically only one side was presented when the facts were right in front of the Fishers (e.g., through the current student handbook and interviewees). If law enforcement is not protecting its students (or at least diligently investigating student claims of assault), Christendom should be making a great effort to effect change. Basically, Christendom University has set up a parallel court system to try these cases and determine guilt outside of the civil court system. we have reports that indicate that you have violated the Code of Student Conduct by harassing another student and causing emotional harm. Furthermore, it is alleged that you continued to harass her by trying to provoke her to slap you, hit you or kiss you. Guess the best cure for christianity is learning what christianity is actually about. I agree with you, they need to recognize the issue and address it more head on. When someone returns to campus drunk there is solid proof, and it is easy to immediately punish the person for the offense. If the regulations force people to leave campus to kiss, then they are actually encouraging the kinds of situations that make assault more likely to occur even while they discourage it in other ways. They do not invalidate the substance of the story. Youve pushed the boundaries so far that the man is no longer in control. Its not good enough, for some because the school didnt have the authority or the power to adequately punish someone for rape, and I personally have no problem with the rapist receiving a degree, and being forced to stay off campus with a restraining order. Simchas husband, Damien, proceeded to imply that she was lying and has contented multiple times that her quote was not taken out of context. The culture on campus protects you from being raped on campus, which is why this incident took place off site. If I didnt know better (and you know, I actually dont) it sounds like you dont like Christendoms brand of Catholicism, and so youre more than happy to treat them unfairly from your rapidly shrinking bully pulpit, using the #metoo zeitgeist to do your dirty work. The accused have rights the right to an assumption of innocence, for one. Thanks; I've largely shed myself of the Catholic mental baggage by this point, so don't worry. There was always a (subtle enough that it could be gaslighted away if you tried to talk about it) sense that women just dont matter as much at Christendom. I was working maintenance as a student between the times of these incidents. It seems to me that men who lure women into back seats of cars in secluded places would have an even easier time saying Hey, come up to my room to watch a movie. With the roommate being already asked to give them privacy. Burning at the stake fits the witch-hunt analogy, because thats what this article amounts to. Not even subtle, in my experience. It isnt nebulous. They had to drive. Good job trying to romanticize rape, but your writing would be more appropriate in a pornographic novel, where creeps actually try to convince themselves women enjoy being raped. The Cardinal Newman Society, which publishes an authoritative annual guide to Catholic Colleges, says Christendom makes a point to emphasize virtuous living, which translates to a faithful Catholic lifestyle and strong friendships. Civil authorities operate under much greater constraints. Protected: Pocast #18: Lets just do it and be legends! With this goal in mind, the College utilizes single-sex dormitories, visitation policies to promote chastity, planned weekly events as a way to proactively promote sobriety and counter any temptation toward a drinking scene, and spiritual programs to foster students prayer lives and spirituality.. While I was a student at Christendom, an off-campus, non-student male pursued a female student across the campus. Start your day off right, with a Dayspring Coffee His punishment: He could not live on campus for one semester, and he could not contact Adele Smith. The more men have to be heroic, the more women do as well. She did go to the police. Again, every college in America that has less strict PDA rules (nearly every college in America) has rape. If it isnt its that much harder for anyone to investigate or deal with. To those students who have been harmed, I am deeply sorry. hope youve finally found happiness as well. Did you read where she said no to his hand in her shirt? [23][circular reference] The Guide, which seeks to defend and promote Catholic higher education,[24] calls Christendom "a national model of faithful liberal arts education and Catholic formation. His absence helped her reclaim some of her focus. Smith thinks he might have been trying to make it appear that she was the one who assaulted him. If not, then how is the school supposed to levy public punishments that would permittly alter this guys life if the woman would not go forward to authorities? My objective is to make Christendom more accountable for the safety of its students. Because Christendom is in a rural, isolated spot with few restaurants, clubs, museums or theaters, going off campus generally means going into the woods or into a field. And, as I said, they were more balanced than the others. I know even as a young adult my guard was down, and I was vulnerable, as are so many others, especially when we have no reason not to be trusting. People might think they are trying to help women, and that is an unacceptable conclusion. The cost of the chapel is estimated to run approximately $13.5 million, with an additional $13.5 million allocated to the endowment and the remaining $13 million going to the annual fund. Im not saying that the accused should have been expelled. After Adele did slap you, you allegedly said, If you slapped me really hard and it really hurt, I wouldnt want to kiss you. It is further alleged that on other occasions you went out of your way to volunteer with groups of friends that Adele had seduced you. [13], Since 1992, student enrollment has grown from 144 undergraduates to nearly 550 students, not including graduate school students. Thanks for sharing your experience. More concern for an institution than for victims. christendom college racism. No, it takes opening a word document and writing it up: Dont rape people.. And on the outside, this torture of wanting to stay chaste yet wanting to see that a man loves you and wanting to fully embrace him comes across in very vague and misleading body language. He said she noticed a change in her, and wanted her to know he was there to help her if she wanted to talk. Is Christendom even trying to address this problem with town government? Karl Petrick Assistant Director of Advancement Services No matter what your belief now, or if you have no belief at all. Similar to the reasonings at Hillsdale College, Carroll believed that the government might eventually intrude on Christendom's academic and religious freedom.[4]. I dont know what the contents of the interview between the college and the perp are. It is this faith that has been the guiding beacon during some difficult and seemingly hopeless times, even when I had turned my heart against Him and turned my back on [faith]. Vol. What are men doing to step up their game for women? There is a french expression a la folie; when you love someone a la folie, it means you love them to the point of madness. A school cannot beyond a shadow of a doubt prevent rape, but you can reduce the risk of it, and one of the key arguments in this piece is that excessively strict PDA rules result in private, remote areas being the normal location for healthy romantic affection. When I went back to visit a few years later it was hard for me because I felt bereaved in a waylike this safe space full of spiritual fantasies and security had been permanently denied to me. And the sexist views of some professors didnt help us stay safe. I'd imagine that (patriarchal misognynists being patriarchal misogynists) the experience would've been a lot worse for those folks. Second, the rape occurred off campus; and so the school considered itself helpless to respond to it. It was still seen that women should be revered for other reasons by these men. Simchas piece was very specific. So, you are saying that because other colleges deal with it badly, that therefore it isnt a scandal that Christendom handled it badly? I think theres definitely room for improvement in the colleges dealings, but as DCLM already made clear, the school was being asked to provide a parallel court, which is not easy. What if anyone found out? There was nothing to stop this from happening again, Smith said. I always find it interesting they always try to punish students for drinking off campus, if you come back to campus drunk, Smith said. Oh, this was before cellphones. The fact that their anger is not directed towards say the park police, the legal system, but at a school that issued the ONLY punishment(however minor), is basically proof of this. And it is these serious issues which led the Fishers to dedicate a great deal of time and energy into researching and writing this article. I am not making this up. How law enforcement and colleges respond to sexual harassment and rape allegations is a different matter, and I agree that does need to be addressed. All it did was push people into secret places where chastity was more in danger. All his body language was hostile and arrogant.. It felt like a never ending guilt trip. yes! Supposedly that sentence should stop this from happening again. I am incensed by the way Simcha makes it sound like Dr. Marshner condoned and sheltered a known rapist, and then was fired from the school. Rights to presumption of innocence meaning the burden of proof is on the prosecutor. I also attended Christendom in the early 90s and while I loved it there I finally heard the truth about what the Church teaches student life was neurotic. Beyond that, it is about how Christendom failed this student and failed others students, and in so doing, failed their Catholic mission. I feel challenged, respected, and loved by my teachers and am so grateful to be their student. "[25], Over the years, the college has also received praise from political leaders in the United States. Imply that there is a pattern and that the pattern is indicative of the current campus environment. And spent half his classes monologuing about personal-life stuff nobody else cared about. Anyway, while on a work call I found a mattress and sheets in the back room surrounded by rose petals and candles. It should do better. Rather, it is a guide the way, the truth, and the life.[26], By refusing to accept most forms of federal funding, Christendom College is exempt from many federal guidelines concerning sex-based and other forms of discrimination (e.g., Title IX), investigations into accusations of sexual abuse, and the sharing of information about on-campus crimes. All the fancy theology was useless for anything except further torturing myself for not being a good enough Catholic, not following the rules enough, and not being spiritual enough. Im no longer Catholic, and I think the disillusionment I developed there is part of why or at least sped up the timeline of me leaving. If she simply made an error in judgment and regretted the decision, she would be stating she had sex and lost her virginity before she planned to. It is genuinely baffling to methough perhaps it should not bethat so many people read an article about a Catholic university so badly bungling its response to the sexual assault of its students and when they get to the end can ask with a straight face what was your goal in writing this? Or worse, claim that the writing of it was badly motivated or will have deleterious effects that outweigh the good done by shedding light on wrongdoing. O'Donnell's biggest building contribution was the new Chapel of Christ the King, which he promised in his inaugural address as president. [17] The actual reason was that, because the colleges all refused to take federal funding, they did not report the data used to compile the scorecard to the federal government. You use false logic and your pen is sadly misdirected this time. Bishop Finn of Kansas City was convicted for failing to report suspected child abuse because he HESITATED to report it. After the sanctions were imposed, Smith and the young man still had classes together, including core classes that were required for all students. But I dont think we can fully judge any of these stories without hearing the other side. The way I see it, and many may disagree with this, but the failure was not a moral failure, but an administerial one(if that).. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. I vehemently disagreed with their misogyny, but never was sexually harassed, assaulted, etc. In 2018, while delivering the Commencement Address for Christendom, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas said, This is a wonderful, wonderful, college a decidedly Catholic college, and I am decidedly and unapologetically Catholic. I graduated in 08, did I know him? The problems with rape at Christendom are the problems with rape anywhere. Id hate to echo that ridiculous article from the Remnant, that accuses Fisher of being in league with Satan, but he was spot on with that point. I went to a small all-womens college, and we had an excellent campus security force; if you were feeling unsure about walking to your car at night you could call them for an escort. Congrats for finding a better life path. LOL, the chastity policy was a joke when I went there. And did in fact say no with her body language with arms crossed and legs locked tight? They say your views are dangerous, hateful, fearful, or racist . Right. Just to hold hands, theyd go off campus for a date; and by off campus, it could in be in the woods, or in a field down the road. After graduation, she went to a catholic high school that was run by nuns. In retrospect, I can say, Youre a dummy! But back then, I was nineteen. [42], In 2017, Christendom's rugby team won the NSCRO 7's Collegiate Rugby National Championship in its first year of contention. And, of course, they could have gone for a walk down the road if all they wanted was to hold hands. Case in point, when I started going off the rails I would have expected my fellow Catholics to guide me back, especially the older more experienced upper classman I tried to lean on. . I feel so freaked out right now. Consent is only nebulous when you refuse to take responsibility for yourself. The students views, whether they arrived with them or picked them up at Christendom, were wildly sexist both men and women. In 1992, Dr. Timothy O'Donnell, who had been a professor at Christendom since 1985, was named as the college's third president. And people worrying too much about specks in other peoples eyes and not the planks in their own or if they did worry about their own planks, it was to an extraordinarily high level of scrupulosity. He didnt have a license, so, at his suggestion, they borrowed a friends car and she drove them up to a scenic point overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains. Smith claims they are dangerous. Think of roofies, frat parties, binge drinking..Im not going to go on, except to say that these dont exist here and if thats the bubble then Hallelujah. And victims have the right to be taken seriously, to not be dismissed. Everyone knew., Smith complained to the school, and she says they gave Marshner a slap on the wrist.. As I said, virtue thrives in the light. Yup, I sure did do it! Reading the few witnessed sentences we have from the perp, the man sounds like a TRUE sociopath. The truth matters little. It felt like a human zoo.. Like Christendom, Thomas Aquinas College (TAC) in Santa Paula, Calif., is one of many small Catholic liberal arts colleges well known for faithfulness to the magisterium. Christendom College, a small, Catholic, liberal arts school in Front Royal Virginia, celebrated its 40th anniversary last year. In 1997, the Institute was merged with Christendom College and became the Notre Dame Graduate School of Christendom College, now the Graduate School of Theology. The Semester in Rome includes a continuation of the College's core curriculum program for juniors (THEO 301 Moral Theology during the Fall; and THEO 302 Apologetics in the spring), as well as courses in Italian, Roman Art & Architecture, and the Language, Culture, and History of Rome. I mainly left because they wouldnt give tenure to the head of the sacred music department because he refused to teach the history of contemporary Christian music. Its also a great way to smear the innocent and destroy reputations or get legally sued into bankruptcy. christendom college racism. . They have pointed to several problem areas that are not yet fixed. Justice, and not just criminal secular justice, but justice from our institutions, is a part of Catholic moral theology. The way I see it, and many may disagree with this, but the failure was not a moral failure, but an administerial one(if that). He responded by calling her a bitch and a prude, and saying, You know you liked it. She blocked his number. Woody Allen has an even more credible allegation against him, but still gets to make movies. afterwards. That is different from critiquing the PDA policy and segregated dorms. To think that anyone could do that to such a young child is eye-opening indeed, and helpful to know for those of us raising kids to know what to beware of. Students are prohibited from doing something reasonable on campus. Front Royal Police told her it was out of their jurisdiction, since it had happened in a national park. But honestly what is Smith talking about when she refers to the only cafe in town?? I also think men need to be educated, be kept accountable, and step up their game. Yeah, the campus is pretty, but the culture is weird. Most didnt know what was going on or how to handle me but at least they tried to hold out their hand. We have to ask ourselves if its okay for innocent men to have lives ruined for the trade off of punishing all the men who deserve it. Omigosh. I still have fond memories of a bunch of them. It was a moral failure that took the form of an administrative failure. It is endorsed by The Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College and has been characterized as a conservative Catholic liberal arts college. First, Christendom College could have made their own report to the police. If you admit to being a feminist, well, you might as well admit to worshipping Baal. The people from Christendom would be considered heretics by hard core traditional Catholics, and by the letter of the law they would be right (at least in my view). We were certainly not taught that a parked car on a lonely spot was a good idea for a date by any of the professors, Administrators, all who took pains to teach us a dating culture that could help us mature and protect us. We should demand it be better. So places without rda rules have less rape? Christendom College is a four-year coeducational Roman Catholic Liberal Arts College with undergraduate and graduate programs offered in locations in Front Royal and Alexandria, Virginia, Donegal, Ireland, and Rome, Italy. There are more than a few other academic institutions whose rates of rape and sexual assault are much higher and/or go under-reported. Accustomed to a large, sociable, extended family, she knew Christendom would be conservative, but was bemused by the strict segregation of males and females. . [12], The college's Junior Semester in Rome program was established in 2002. Im sorry, I would not want to hurt anyone and I certainly cant judge the situation. I've got complicated memories of the place. For the unfamiliar, Christendom is a small conservative-Catholic liberal arts college in Front Royal, VA. Its intended mission is to equip Catholic students to 'restore all things in Christ' (though you can guess how well that turned out with me). Christendoms 86-hour core curriculum of carefully selected subjects required for all of its undergraduate students prepares its students for their role as lay apostles. Enjoy your freedom. Can confirm. Why would the accusers parents ever, ever, ever send their daughter back to the place where she was abused and seemingly unhappy, uncomfortable and failing classes? False accusations may be relatively rare, but they are still real. RAs are now trained in responding to and reporting sexual harassment or assault. I was not aware that in journalism, one protects the names of alleged rapists. Christendom College University of Toronto-Regis College Experience Priest in Residence Christendom College Oct 2021 - Present1 year 2 months Assistant Professor Santa Clara University Sep. https://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/at-the-edge/2015/11/18/rape-on-college-campuses-nearly-1-in-6-freshmen-women-are-assaulted. As a Catholic, I would imagine you agree that there are actions that are not criminal but that are still wrong. An authentically Catholic college that prepares you for the future The cultural revolution of the twentieth century continues to take its toll on the world and on Catholic higher education. At first she didnt want to allow that word, and grew defensive, blaming herself for the assault. I was raised in a conservative evangelical household and converted to Catholicism my junior year. Sure, maybe. duplicitous. The school promised to conduct a complete and careful investigation.. We would like to apologize to any of those in our community who feel they were not properly responded to concerning an alleged sexual harassment and assault. One of my classmates was seriously over the top and has gone on to make her name as a self-appointed investigative journalist and spiritual director online. The teachers provide a well rounded education of philosophy, history, theology, literature and political science. Thats not how it works in any of the college towns Ive lived in, and I live in one now, where we also have a military base, and the base police dont have jurisdiction outside the base, for the most part. Describe the current environment at the school with phrases like, But current students and alumni say the school has a boys will be boys attitude which allows the male students to harass and grab at the women. Even if you have no evidence that men can grab at women without repercussions, that doesnt matter.
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