Throughout the letter, ODonnell refers to the young man by his last name, but refers to Adele Smith by her first name. It seems to me that thats why they hit him with that. Christendom takes matters smaller than this issue into its own hands often. The school apparently based its response on two facts: First, there was, in 2011, no clause in the student handbook prohibiting sexual assault. Is it supported by super-strength body language? Its just a natural human need to connect with someone youre in a relationship with, Smith said. A family member of mine is a graduate and while at Christendom, knew a few students that went to the police about sexual assault. Recipe for a Hit Piece Christendom College does not receive federal funding, and so is not subject to Title IX regulations, which would legally require it to respond to and remedy hostile educational environments. 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.. The young man was charismatic, well-known, and well-liked on campus. A male Residence Life staff member also lives on campus to assist the men. We cant even prove whether or not a marriage is consensual or valid in the Catholic marriage tribunals, and a marriage involves months of prep and numerous witnesses! This subreddit is for any and all ex-Catholics to talk, educate, discuss and maybe even bitch about their experiences within the Catholic Church. 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. If it isnt its that much harder for anyone to investigate or deal with. Have girls refuse to be allowed in cars with boys, since it requires cars to go to Skyline Drive? Purity more and more asks for a heroic virtue. Adele has no bad girl reputation on campus. Undergraduate students combine a liberal arts core-curriculum with eventual upper-level courses in their major field (or fields) of study. It may be that the whole thing wasnt handled as it should have been, but then, how should it have been handled? This is still America. The college has strict rules about students of opposite sexes being alone together. Smith says that the administration cracked down on professors hosting off-campus parties, because they involved drinking. Im glad to see Christendom has made some changes and I certainly hope it will continue to educate its students and do all they can do to minister to needs and address wrongs. Kind of makes you wonder why there are any rapes in the many (50?) I want to know the rapists name. Imply that what they did was nothing. Experience the most popular, well-attended, and highly-ranked pre-college summer program of its kind. Founded in 1977 in response to the devastating blow inflicted on Catholic higher education by the cultural revolution which swept across America in the 1960s, Christendoms goal is to provide a truly Catholic education in fidelity to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church and thereby to prepare students for their role as lay apostles to restore all things in Christ. I dont consider Cdoms PDA policy unreasonable. Frankly I think you have misused a term that is quite affectionate.school is a place to learn and at this particular school it is a place to strengthen ones faith. I had seen already something was wrong, something had happened, Foeckler said. Or even if he left Front Royal, this would not guarantee the safety of other women. [2] It still occupies this site today. But Jenislawski was the first one who made her feel like the rape wasnt her fault. A change.org petition in support of O'Donnell was signed by over 1,000 people. 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.. Is it possible that they could get it wrong? Christendom College will continue to do everything it can to understand how to best respond to these very difficult and tragic situations. Smith and her family were floored. Such a different vibe from my Canadian background. But by not questioning the accused on the matter of rape (it wasnt mentioned in his disciplinary notice), the college forfeited responsibility altogether. Thank you for writing that. I am with you that Christendom should enumerate the inaccuracies it sees in here, it would go a long way towards communication in this area. If it was me vs. a kitten, the kitten would win, Smith says. My objective is to make Christendom more accountable for the safety of its students. Never, under any circumstances, admit that it was a complicated process that involved implementing a parallel judicial system. . Feb 5, 2018 / 15:45 pm. I felt him, she said. That was not how my parents were, but sex assault is unique crime. Hurt by Catholics? I am so sad you had to live through that. I would go down the road to the convenience store, and hed be sitting outside, and I couldnt walk in. Im so sorry you were raped, Jenislawski said. i ended up choosing Franciscan University instead because it was my parents choice. The reason I posited a scenario where the college questioned both accused and accuser is so someone in a leadership position could hear the testimonies with objectivity and discernment and make a prudential judgement on behalf of the greater good of the community. To me that sort of practice betrays more about the motivations of the reporter than the matters on which he/she reports. Be a patron of the (f)arts! The spirituality they relentlessly pushed never really clicked for me, though I always told myself it was my fault for not Jesusing harder, for not totally surrendering myself to a God Who wasn't really interested in talking back. The young woman went to the police, and due to the lack of evidence, they could not press charges. If he was accused again in the future, the record would help support that accusation. 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. Most of secular culture righteously denounces rape, and praises consent. Catholic apologists will be perma banned without warning. The idea is that if you dont have make out places, youll get rape places. She did go to the police. it was that, or sit in a brightly-lit classroom, with room for the Holy Spirit between you, and since its a public area, anybody might happen by and join you. I hate to think theyre covering up what needs to be exposed. A US NEWS & WORLD REPORT article says it isnt working too well. So she drove them down the mountain and back to campus. As a Catholic, I would imagine you agree that there are actions that are not criminal but that are still wrong. It still deserves to be addressed adequately by the Admins, but we were much safer than most campuses. I know I do. If it was truly necessary that students seek sexual/affection outlets, then I dont blame Cdom for wanting to have no part in policing or monitoring, how far is too far. Chastity is their moral prerogative and they would rather err on the side of caution than participate. by | Oct 29, 2021 | peter hughes escape to the country | pinocchio's london road sheffield menu | Oct 29, 2021 | peter hughes escape to the country | pinocchio's london road sheffield menu Thanks for sharing your experience. Contact Leslie Mathews by email at lmathews@christendom.edu or by phone by calling 540.551.9300. Heck, if she had even maybe goaded him into admitting it in a text it would be at least something other than just he said/she said and they could have proceeded with charges against him (case like that was successfully pushed at my old college using that tactic a few years back). 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. Her GPA slipped to 1.2. No one doubts that passion is difficult, that lust is strong and difficult to master. The college also acquired the Notre Dame Institute during O'Donnell's tenure. Simchas husband, Damien, proceeded to imply that she was lying and has contented multiple times that her quote was not taken out of context. christendom college racism. 2023 Christendom College. 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. There are more than a few other academic institutions whose rates of rape and sexual assault are much higher and/or go under-reported. Graduates can choose from three theological concentrations: Systematic Theology, Moral Theology, and Catechetics. I clearly understood in that moment that Christendom College did not care about the safety of its students. Smith considered leaving the college, and looked into other schools. I learned to feel simultaneously persecuted, superior, and self-hating in that bizarre Catholic mix; I learned little about the actual human experience or the world around us. I hope and pray that the uncovering of these wrongs will enable the college to properly apologize and make amends for their failures. It has sent the implicit message to women at Christendom that the such attacks within the Christendom family will be tolerated, that the attacker will receive no punishment, that women who are attacked will have to endure the fear of retaliation, both on a physical level, and on the level of damage to their reputations.. As for strict PDA, students are allowed reasonable PDA, but what is Fisher looking for for the students to be allowed to have sex on campus. i left the Catholic Church a couple years later and now have a useless Theology degree (imagine what I could have spent the money on instead xD) but at least im happy and living my life freely! I wasn't really prepared for the amount of raw heresy I was surrounded with. The fact that little can be done in this tragedy is very much a fallen world problem, a human nature problem, and a justice system problem. The town and the college have a very interesting relationship. Its not a matter of my comfort. Its a matter of seeking the common good. Smiths father consulted with a lawyer friend, who said that the best they could realistically hope for would be that the young mans record would include an accusation of rape. [32] As a result, a group of alumni called for the school to adopt Title IX policies to better protect students in the future and also called for the resignation of O'Donnell. It does truly permeate the campus. Not everything that the school chooses to ban has to be a sin. None of us were involved in the off campus drinking by the riveras were all the Trad kidsand no doubt the sexual assault that went with it. [12], The college's Junior Semester in Rome program was established in 2002. They should be paying me for the therapy I need, not the other way around. I left at the end of my freshman year (wouldve been class of 17 if I stayed). They explained to her that a prosecutor would take her case, but that the chances of going to trial, much less of the young man being prosecuted, were very low. Her phrasing seems to imply that there was no second year at this secular college. Protected: Podcast 3dunno: Even Wilder Turkey! I propose for your consideration numerous scenarios of young women and men wherein even if the woman is saying no with her voice, her body language is communicating something entirely different. Im giving Simcha the benefit of the doubt and assuming she had good will in this reporting. Neither of which am I suggesting. Rapists should be tarred and feathered (or worse). Men should feel degraded by this way of thought. He took his knee and pushed my legs open, pulled my shirt off, and pulled my jeans down. After the sanctions were imposed, Smith and the young man still had classes together, including core classes that were required for all students. Christendom is praised as a safe haven where young students can focus on their studies, grow in their faith, and "breathe the Catholic air." 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. As I said, virtue thrives in the light. . Does the handbook have to repeat the entire criminal code? Drove, Juana. This also means there is no publicly available data about sexual assaults or other crimes taking place on campus, as is required of Title IX schools. This was really well-written. In a letter dated May 16, 2011, Scott Smith, her father, wrote to Timothy ODonnell, the president of Christendom, Adeles grades plummeted that first semester of her sophomore year. Which means, of course, he may very well have done it again. On the other hand, you encouraged us to hate ourselves and hate the world around us in pursuit of an impossible, harmful ideal, an ideal which crumbled whenever it met reality. And one of the most glaring incidents you chose to report on didnt even occur on campus, it occurred 30 minutes away. Exactly. In the late 1970s, Christendom College . The whole In loco parentis thing was alive and well and enforced. If they had to leave public areas to show affection, then they might as well go to the prettiest. Hes obviously prideful and arrogant. That sounds like quite the emotional roller coaster. Her grades continued to be low for the rest of her junior year. I didnt know about consent because, in my world, good Christian girls and boys were supposed to never have anything bad happen to them that was what happened to so-called sinful, unChristian people. And did in fact say no with her body language with arms crossed and legs locked tight? This puts students at greater risk. That isnt acceptable, even in secular workplaces, and is a breathtaking accusation. That takes a lot of strength to write to them like that. 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. In retrospect, the College may not have served these victims as well as we could have, and for this hurt we are truly sorry for any additional pain that this may have caused. christendom college racism. On Racism and Cancel Culture - Cardinal Newman Society If you think writing dont rape people would solve anything it should be noted that most universities dont have a dont commit mass genocide policy either. In 2013, after Smith had graduated from the school, she again downloaded the student handbook and was aghast to see there was still no language forbidding sexual assault by students. He pushed my arms apart with his hands. Casting aspersions on the Fishers is an ad hominem because they cant adequately address the issue in itself. Come on. But at the same time, Christendom was a dream in a bubble. We need to hear you and your experience. Every Novus Ordo girl I know knows better than to get in the backseat of a parked car with a guy unless they are willing to risk rape. http://mydailydiatribes.blogspot.com/2017/12/metoo.html?m=1. 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. What is to blame there?? Very interesting. There was no mention of her accusation of rape, either in the charge letter or in the sanction letter. What are men doing to step up their game for women? It makes it hard for a young woman to keep herself safe if *all* the places where a date might happen are private. Episode #60: Who or what is a Malcolm Gladwell? If these things are happening, then it is accurate. Dont like it? That is absurd. If you think about it for half a second, youd realize youre asking more of Christendom than literally any institution could ever do, at least when it comes to prevention. the Administration could and should have done better here. All it did was push people into secret places where chastity was more in danger. But what jumps out at me is that this happened not because of following the colleges policies, but because of disregarding them. It specifically mentions witnesses. Six months after graduation, the members of the Class of 2022 had an overall success rate of 98.9%, based on a survey with a 100% knowledgerate. And victims have the right to be taken seriously, to not be dismissed. But consent is not usually nebulous. I hope the girls involved will know that sharing what happened will help others. This gives women more of an opportunity to share a concern or incident with a staff member they trust. Right. 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. Oh, this was before cellphones. One professor was quite emphatic than women are less rational, and when I got upset about that well, naturally he put that down to my lack of rationality, plus perhaps a dash of pride. 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. Not a one that I knew. 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. Thats just scratching the surface. are honey nut cheerios high in oxalates. She links to it directly! Perhaps they did mention it. He RETIRED a year or so ago. Dont deny the bad, but try to find the good. However, I was a student at Christendom and nothing could be further from a boys will be boys culture on campus regarding sexual assault. From what I have read so far, there would be nothing but he said/she said. Christendom College offers an amazing Liberal Arts education that is immersed in the Catholic Faith. The semester also includes a week's pilgrimage to Assisi and Siena as well as a trip to Florence. However, a private institution has some flexibility in such matters, and it is not entirely dependent upon the acts of civil authorities. I think she means she transferred somewhere else (maybe Christendom?) Actually, if you read what the new sexual assault policy is, it is much more than Smith claims. It can, however, cost people their livelihoods and smear the reputation of people and universities. Huh. Christendom doesnt have anything like that. https://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/at-the-edge/2015/11/18/rape-on-college-campuses-nearly-1-in-6-freshmen-women-are-assaulted. Um, no. I was at Saint Marys in South Bend and we had a student body of about 1,500, tops. 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. Finally comfortable in my own skin, as long as I avoid the dreaded Catholic bubble. The students arent punished for drinking off campus, they are punished for being drunk ON campus. . Hit pieces only need to be tangentially accurate to get 1st amendment protections. Author: Elaine Gunthorpe - Christendom College | The College Fix I am so sorry for this woman, rape is a horrible crime on so many levels, maybe one of the worst aspects is the lack prosecution. "Critical race theory (CRT) asserts that America's legal framework is inherently racist and that race itself, instead of being biologically grounded and natural, is a socially constructed concept that is used by white people to further their economic and political interests at the expense of people of color," explains Dr. Denise Donohue, the i believe that the world outside of CC understands that sexual assault has many./.. an infinite number of manifestations. We are committed in our policies, our procedures, and in our on-campus culture to uphold and promote the dignity of women and men. Heres my letter that i wrote to Christendom last month. christendom college racism - dayspringcoffee.com Same; I also feel like I wasted my college years on Catholic garbage, but I also broke free and am living much more healthily than I was back there. Umm okay? It says she felt like the provost didnt care which is entirely subjective, and wasnt able to respond promptly, especially since extra duties were imposed on him and probably didnt have an exact answer ready for them anyway. And I think the criticism of the PDA policy is quite apt. It only works with Weinstein and Cosby because there were like 30+ allegations. There was one guy who was self-insulated to the point where he was delusionally hostile toward everything "worldly". Theres still a problem of not having places to have on campus dates. 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. After all, how is this no different from the one you whispered 20 minutes ago when his hand brushed your breast and you were actually pleased, but you said no because you knew it should stop? She said, Im not comfortable with that, and he said, Okay.. Tag: racism National Congress on the Word of God: A Two-Edged Sword. 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. Was there ever a police report filed? Deep Roots: Radicalism and the University - Intellectual Takeout After I finally rejected the Faith, I was intellectually under-equipped to handle the outside world; I've honestly learned more about the actual world (as opposed to the imaginary Catholic one) by browsing Reddit and the rest of the internet than I ever learned in my four years at Christendom. 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. 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]. In 2021, the rugby team won the National Collegiate Rugby Cohen Cup National Championship in Houston, Texas, defeating New Mexico Tech. Kissing allowed. A longtime economics and political science professor at Christendom College in Virginia has been charged with solicitation of a minor under the age of 16 and two counts of . Please be assured that Christendom College is committed to maintaining an academic environment free of discrimination and all forms of coercion that impede the academic freedom, security, or well-being of any member of the community. I'd imagine that (patriarchal misognynists being patriarchal misogynists) the experience would've been a lot worse for those folks. "[25], Over the years, the college has also received praise from political leaders in the United States. The reports indicate that Adele Smith indicated, after a prior incident with you, that she no longer wanted a relationship with you. So this rape would not have occurred if the dorms were mixed gender? in Theological Studies degrees online. Since 1977, Christendom has been providing the best Catholic liberal arts education to prepare students to restore all things in Christ. There are so many other choices that dont have these rules. I eventually burned out on the whole experience around senior year, though it took me until after I graduated to actually question the foundations of the faith I'd spent the last four years pounding into my head (and even longer to finally LEAVE it, but that's another story). The college now employs more than 40 full-time faculty members,[16] compared to the original five, along with a number of adjunct members. Sure, they could get threatened by the student with a lawsuit, but accusations of rape could then be brought up in court, and such accusations are much easier to prove in a civil suit, so there would be protection for the college. Why shes even Catholic I do not understand. She says that the rules against romantic public displays of affection were so restrictive, it drove couples off campus. I think both sexes can rise to a greater standard. states that have laws saying Dont rape people. I remember clearly two instances where a professor I respected and a male friend who I valued told me to my face that women were inferior in ability and authority to men and ought to accept that. I kept up with a few of my friar classmates over the years. I emerged with my virginity intact. The town has over 14,000 people, so the college isnt a large part of it. Fedoryka, through his contacts in the Vatican, brought the college into contact with then-Pope John Paul II, who later told Carroll that Christendom "was doing a great work for the Church. Disclosing abuse and its aftermath is painful and difficult, and it takes a tremendous amount of courage. I feel challenged, respected, and loved by my teachers and am so grateful to be their student. Men and women BOTH have free will. Maybe you didnt mean to imply this to be the case for her, but using her name in the example makes it seem so. Most didnt know what was going on or how to handle me but at least they tried to hold out their hand. Under her tenure, the graduate school began offering M.A. Her focus and concentration were gone. I understand that everyone has a different experience at college. In Adeles case it sounds like the college really did blow it by not giving credence to her rape charge, but did you *really* try to get their side of it before you published your hit piece here? They didnt make any changes until after pressure had been applied over the course of several years. She felt frozen and could not reply. But it took me a second to realize what was happening. This is an event that took place off campus, with literally one witness. That wasnt their gig. Why? Lets embrace it. Thanks for writing this- I hope the college considers educating more students on assault and consent. Of course they are not but I find the fact that each version of catholic thinks they are right well it is partly why I lost my faith. . I've got complicated memories of the place. 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. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. It seems to be a bigger problem now that the sexually charged culture doesnt help young men and women relate to each other without sexual overtones in every encounter. Are women safe in Christendom's bubble? Part I Only as an adult did I see the dynamics of power, coercion, grooming and (lack of) consent at play, and even when I began to tell my story, many people brushed it off as in onsequential. Its getting harder and harder for them in todays society. I have lived in Front Royal for more than 15 years. Civil authorities operate under much greater constraints. That's no coincidence. 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. But more importantly, I think that you might be using the term more broadly than is appropriate in this matter. Within a month of the fundraiser's launch, roughly 70%, or $28 million, had been raised for the campaign. A policy for handling this should of course be on the books. If we want to read that sort of thing, well buy cheap romance novels. An RA friend, Elizabeth Foeckler, also encouraged her to go to the administration. Several have contended that having a policy would have prevented the problem. Why do we have to wait for the guy to respond? If they arent keeping track, then the are no statistics to tell you what happens on campus and of campus. Now with thoughts regarding sexual assault, I dont think it bad for a school to have a policy, but the presumption that that must mean they condone it, or dont care about it, isnt realistic. If they do, their efforts to grow as a Catholic college will surely be blessed by greater growth in virtue. we have reports that indicate that you have violated the Code of Student Conduct by harassing another student Another student instructed you to leave her alone but you continued. Ive seen way too many crises in my time, where people just went on acting as if nothing happened, not because they didnt care, but because its all they knew how to do and werent really able to fathom it, much less solve it. It was very much like a museum, like an exhibit. Not the most helpful thing, Mrs. Fischer. The rape in question occurred because two students of opposite sexes were alone together.
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