It was my story. We have a new sexual harassment and assault policy published in the Student Handbook with instructions on how to report sexual harassment and assault and how to receive resources for recovery (page 29 of the student handbook). The school apparently based its response on two facts: First, there was, in 2011, no clause in the student handbook prohibiting sexual assault. The message delivered was clear, according to Smith. unless you are a member of the clergy etc YOU ARE IN THE SECULAR WORLD. I want trying to make things seem like a cheap sex novel, just trying to illustrate that things can happen quickly without us really knowing what is going on, which we can later regret. Thank you for this perspective. Never mind the mental health agony I endured in thinking I had brought on myself same-sex erotic involvement. The man was not charged, let alone convicted of rape. However, if you combine Christendom, Seton Home Study, and the many Christendom grads who have settled around town, its a sizable bloc if they actually all agreed that something should be done. And if the woman involved was going to say yes anyway to whatever he suggested in terms of where they were going, as she said in the article, how would this have been any different even if there were different or no PDA rules? i Love this reply. The Bishop scandal was about the Bishops taking the law into their own hands and trying to cover up and cure people with their own minor penalties, without reporting anything. The fact that every situation is different, makes it a matter of prudential judgment, and this seems completely lost on the author who partially blames the PDA policy, which I find insulting to college students and drastically counter intuitive to challenging the prospects of rape. But yeah, there was definitely navet in spades. An article about how a college should have handled a horrible rape situation better should not be couched in the fact that the college has separate dorms. Yeah, that seems to be the atmosphere of Catholic higher education in my experience; a lot of the people there are trying to be good and do the right thing (as they see it), but the system as a whole is irredeemably flawed, and it covers up those people who are downright malicious. Simcha is right on in insisting that consent be taught at Christendom and in Catholic bubbles. Or maybe she actually is a sophomore right now? You might think to yourself, as Miss Smith did for example, Is this really happening? with 50% terror and 50% thrill. Can we PLEASE stop framing this as something between women and men and acknowledge that assault and coercion also happen between men and between women, as well as from women to men? Maybe that needs to be spoken about more openly among students. 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. This was really well-written. Respectfully, I must disagree with your recollection . Protected: Episode 63: There can be only one hole in the head. Youve been completely infected by the porn saturated culture we live in. Thanks for writing this- I hope the college considers educating more students on assault and consent. Im giving Simcha the benefit of the doubt and assuming she had good will in this reporting. Rather, the incident apparently occurred in a national park several miles away from Christendoms campus, ODonnell wrote in his letter to Scott Smith. A Christendom drop out here. [in loco parentis] is not a phrase that I use with any frequency, ODonnell wrote toward the end of his letter to Scott Smith. Im sorry, but your logic is misconstrued here. Our countrys policies right now generally say yes for potential terrorists, but no for potential rapists. I hope the girls involved will know that sharing what happened will help others. Come on. Christendom College is a Catholic liberal arts college in Front Royal, Virginia, United States, located in the Shenandoah Valley. I would go to the only cafe in town, and hed be sitting outside. I am a 92 graduate, and my oldest is a graduate, and I have three other kids currently there. And, as I said, they were more balanced than the others. LOL, the chastity policy was a joke when I went there. As a cis dude, I found the dress code obnoxious, but never harsh. I hope and pray that the uncovering of these wrongs will enable the college to properly apologize and make amends for their failures. This article smacks of a smear job, and there are so many lies and misrepresentations in this article, I dont even know where to begin. Our on-campus nurse and counselor are available at no cost and can help with trauma and recovery. The college also acquired the Notre Dame Institute during O'Donnell's tenure. The incident does not seem too unlike the OJ trial in that OJ killed someone and was trialed for something far less severe later on. What did happen on campus was punished. Imagine for a second if he was expelled, but decided to stay in Front Royal anyway. Deciding to proceed with creating a parallel court system over allegations as serious and difficult to determine as rape is a momentous decision fraught with difficulties both legal and practical. There is a feeling of disillusionment for many, even those who stay. Perhaps could have been goaded into admitting he forced her against her will via text if tweeked in the right way. When I left the DHS I got a teaching job at a progressive catholic high school and the culture shock was intense. Perhaps they did mention it. [15], The total financial assets have increased by 440%, and total plant costs have increased by 397%. And boy, you are right. This actually hurts good people doing their best to make the world a better place every day. She developed Crohns disease, a disease exacerbated by severe stress. Rapists should be burnt at the stake, but going on a witch-hunt for rape culture does not help. Consent is not nebulous. Easier said than done, of course. This encourages privacy and some better behavior. But there were many inaccuracies about the school: we never had to get outfits approved for dates, you are allowed to sit next to each other, and we didnt have to wear skirts all the time. Up until that point, I considered myself fairly knowledgeable, she said. This is bad reasoning and I dont see it as incumbent on the school to drop its strict standards on sexual morality, in order appease people who think it might help with the problem. Vol. He encouraged her to get counseling and to tell the school administration what had happened. He told her her back might be more comfortable in the back seat, and they could put the laptop in the center console to listen to music. They should be able to express themselves romantically in a public setting, which is a safer setting to learn how to navigate as a couple.. Seite auswhlen. He may or may not be a rapist, but do you really want institutions denouncing a man as a rapist without a trial. Back at the time, when I was an 18-year-old fresh convert, it was EXACTLY the kind of place I wanted to be. Tweets. Omigosh. Christendom College admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. Read that section of the post again. That is different from critiquing the PDA policy and segregated dorms. Fixing a problem and addressing a problem are two different things. Is hearing both sides unreasonable? By driving students off campus, the school is making the students, especially women, more vulnerable. are not understanding anything entirely, except this article provides good understanding yet. It doesnt discredit their criticism, but it does show an obvious bias that the scandal is associated with the school and not the park police or FroRo police. A recent blog, which contains misleading information and serious inaccuracies, was posted about Christendom College. Is the suggestion that Christendom should act in the place of the police, even without evidence of the rape? It does truly permeate the campus. Their response was a poor excuse for an apology. Their donations requests are a joke. Your charity is overwhelming. We Dare to be Great. Now that everyone has cellphones, it would be cool if the school set up a service where you could text for a pickup if youre in trouble for instance if youre at a party where youre being pressured to drink, or alone in a car with a pushy guy. This subreddit is for any and all ex-Catholics to talk, educate, discuss and maybe even bitch about their experiences within the Catholic Church. The inaccuracies you mention are minor. Smith and her family were floored. Are you saying that campus security police are supposed to be policing the town? I do think it unfair and infuriating that in the modern world where young people are wandering in a culture without any norms or mores, women are less protected and offer suffer much more than the men do. It felt like a never ending guilt trip. Forgettable as most commencement addresses are, I remember yours clearly, Scott Smith wrote to ODonnell. As a campus dedicated to following the teachings of the Catholic Church, we strive to foster an environment where every student feels safe and respected and where the dignity of the human person is upheld and honored. Before I left the church one of the last times I went to confession was before serving a mass in the dominican rite for a priest I'd shared most of my courses with in grad school. But in that year, 2012, a year after she reported her rape, the school still had not added a policy against sexual assault to their student handbook. Her phrasing seems to imply that there was no second year at this secular college. I understand it is difficult to do so, but if justice is to be served publicly, accusations must be made in public. When I tried to figure out what had happened, I would say, He had sex with me, but I didnt, she said. Christendom College admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. Her commentary is supported by analysis from the Pew Research Institute in 2021, which found 53% of Latinos ages 18 to 29 say they hear racist or racially insensitive comments or jokes about other . Karl Petrick Assistant Director of Advancement Services The clear goal of the piece is to call the school on to a more truly Catholic approach to handling this topic, and it does so effectively. The fact that they used a separate situation to impose a restriction on him should give you a sense of how they had to act within their own evidentiary boundaries to avoid being sued. This sexualization makes things particularly difficult for men because on men simply of the way men are wired. Woody Allen has an even more credible allegation against him, but still gets to make movies. Christendom College was founded by Warren H. Carroll in 1977 with $50,000. She was not treated properly from a Catholic perspective nor from an institutional perspective. While not commenting on this particular scenario, it got me musing (once again) on the whole problem of sexual assault and the current #metoo movement. Dont like it? Would you like to explain, please, what you mean by inaccuracies? It should do better. 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. Is it supported by super-strength body language? Her article makes plenty of sense. But by not questioning the accused on the matter of rape (it wasnt mentioned in his disciplinary notice), the college forfeited responsibility altogether. No, they simply made the decision not to accuse someone of a violent felony with zero evidence. Clearly the college doesnt think it is patently false. This article sounds like Stephanie Meyer had a hay day, so if thats what you were going for, good job! Not quoted or described? This really sucks because it probably means hes going to get away with it. Goodbye, Christendom College. Christendom is praised as a safe haven where young students can focus on their studies, grow in their faith, and "breathe the Catholic air." I am not only respected by my peers but also my teachers. Yes! [12] Needing a major gift to launch the project, O'Donnell prayed with then-Executive Vice President Mark McShurley for help and, within 30 minutes of praying together, an anonymous donor called to pledge $250,000 to the Chapel fund. Thanks; I've largely shed myself of the Catholic mental baggage by this point, so don't worry. you are correct about the implications. 2) If the college does anything to improve, dont actually describe their efforts in the article. He also told some students that she pulled a knife and forced him into sexual acts. I know I do. What I found was the opposite, the longer a person had been at Christendom the less likely they were to show Christian charity, or even a spirit of evangelization. I cant get into grad school with my GPA. Same sex dorms is considered strict segregation? Her point is absolutely credible and relevant. That is exactly what you are saying, men cant control themselves so woman have to. 50% thrill?!!! He said she noticed a change in her, and wanted her to know he was there to help her if she wanted to talk. The school promised to conduct a complete and careful investigation.. Unfortunately we cant actually know if Christendom is safer when they dont even write down that there was an allegation. 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. 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. [27], On January 16, 2018, Catholic blogger Simcha Fisher broke the story of three rape and sexual harassment allegations by students of the college. She has nightmares about the incident. Wed use the in-campus phones in the lobby or in our dorm rooms to call security. God bless you and keep you. You are very brave to speak up. What are men doing to step up their game for women? Imply that there is a pattern and that the pattern is indicative of the current campus environment. Her hatred for Christendom is glaring. Exactly. Is it worse to let a rapist remain on campus or expel an innocent student? 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.
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