states that have laws saying Dont rape people. They say your views are dangerous, hateful, fearful, or racist . If it was me vs. a kitten, the kitten would win, Smith says. Im giving Simcha the benefit of the doubt and assuming she had good will in this reporting. That is no small feat. Im also trying to highlight what I see as a global problem concerning the question of consent which I think is very nebulous. Christendom College. I feel respected by my fellow classmates, male and female. According to records of the minutes taken at two local school board meetings, one of which was held on July 15, 2021 and another on August 5, 2021, multiple public employees at Riverside Unified . All it did was push people into secret places where chastity was more in danger. He has a bachelor's in history and master's in teaching from the University of Virginia and a master's in theology from Christendom College. Now though, I can confidently say I turned it around. . I've got one that's somewhat similar. Especially, never talk about the training RAs have undergone and all the other things the university has done to improve their support of women in rape cases. . 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? And I think hearing the other side is always critical. Men and women BOTH have free will. Thank you for this perspective. Others have already addressed most of my concerns here though I would point out sexual assault is something that must be reported promptly. Smith and her brother stayed long after midnight talking, and Jenislawski told her he knew something had happened to her. A Christendom drop out here. The school does not accept federal funding. But the job of the press would be to make me out a liar, Smith said, noting that rape victims often find the trial to be more traumatizing than the actual event. This is America. It seems to me that thats why they hit him with that. But I dont think we can fully judge any of these stories without hearing the other side. 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. [45] This was the school's first 15s rugby National Championship title. After what felt like hours, he left. 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. I remember at one point breaking into tears talking to someone because I missed the DHS so much. 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? Not a one that I knew. In essence, the earliest vision of Christendom was a vision of a Christian theocracy, a government founded upon and upholding Christian values, whose institutions are spread through and over with Christian doctrine. Come on. A week later, in a letter dated May 23, 2011, President ODonnell responded. 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. Why do we have to wait for the guy to respond? For a piece of journalism like this to make such accusations without even one example just shows what a hack job they did on this hit piece. There are not a lot of options if you dont have a car. Oh my gosh. If theyre allowed to kiss in a common area, then if the guy says come up to my room, shes going to say no, because theres nothing she could do in his room that she cant in the common area, except stuff she doesnt want to do. Class of '13 here, BA in History, Magna cum Laude. Rights to presumption of innocence meaning the burden of proof is on the prosecutor. So printing, rape is not tolerated or whatever they expected to be printed in the handbook sounds a little naive. 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. My condolences for all the victims. I graduated in 08, did I know him? It would do a great deal more to restore faith in their school if they would be open about the affair. Opposite sex couples PDA was forbidden, while some young women regularly shared dorm beds with their friends. All the people who are asking if Christendom girls could really be that naive, yes! Neither of which am I suggesting. Not everything that the school chooses to ban has to be a sin. Please refrain from proselytizing to members of this community. 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. I havent given it a lot of thought. While it is reasonable for a Catholic school to allow chaste PDAs, its not necessary that do so. absent more data (im just going off of what Ive read here so far) how exactly is a school supposed to punish someone for a violent felony for which they have Z-E-R-O evidence for? Well be waiting forever. Christendom College is a private Catholic college in Virginia. She had been diagnosed with depression and an anxiety disorder after graduating high school, and her anxiety kicked in at this point. Men should feel degraded by this way of thought. How unromantic! Smith skipped many classes her sophomore year, unable to endure being in the same room with him. I also disagree with your assessment that author doesnt have a clear stance on whether the student should have been expelled. Actually, if you read what the new sexual assault policy is, it is much more than Smith claims. Would you like to explain, please, what you mean by inaccuracies? Today, we remain among the fewer than 1% of Catholic universities in the United States that reject all federal government aid. If a Catholic institution is not doing this better than anywhere, what is their justification? we have reports that indicate that you have violated the Code of Student Conduct by harassing another student and causing emotional harm. You may not have read porn, but what you wrote is beyond appropriate. When she was there, it wasnt possible. I've got. That's no coincidence. unless you are a member of the clergy etc YOU ARE IN THE SECULAR WORLD. That would have at least been SOMETHING besides heresay. Im sorry, but your logic is misconstrued here. But he did take it away from her, she says. If she feels so strongly about it now and is willing to come out publicly and smear the College, bring him forward as well. The students dont know Fro Ro very well. Episode #60: Who or what is a Malcolm Gladwell? Then on November 24, 2009, you sat next to her on a bench and made unwanted contact with her by placing your hand on her knee. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs. People might think they are trying to help women, and that is an unacceptable conclusion. What drives couples off campus is the desire to do things that are prohibited on campus; things which the college prohibits precisely because they can lead people to tempt themselves and each other. Vol. The comparison between rape and public drunkenness is egregiously unfair. In what world is this okay? Smith said. The whole In loco parentis thing was alive and well and enforced. 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). Along with converting I made friends with a bunch of conservative catholics (not trads, but your typical intellectual ratzinger fan types). I distinctly remember going back and forth with a friar who had a terminal degree in theology about whether the immaculate conception implies hard determinism and thus refutes the notion of moral responsibility and therefore Catholicism in general. But thats not entirely relevent here. How about holding the US Government responsible since theyre the ones that oversee Skyline? And your describing it as such in the comments on a piece about rape is insulting and denigrating. A US NEWS & WORLD REPORT article says it isnt working too well. People will actually believe this ludicrous drivel. [2] Carroll, who was a contributor at L. Brent Bozell Jr.'s Triumph magazine, decided to found Christendom in the aftermath of the Land O' Lakes conference in 1967. At that point, any option is deteriorating in safety. Despite those inaccuracies, the hearts and prayers of our entire Christendom College community go out to all involved in the incidents described and to anyone who may be a victim of sexual harassment or assault. I am astounded that the article says rapist rather than alleged rapist. You did emphasize at length with regards to the first two incidents that they were not done maliciously and you found them to be normal interactions. When someone returns to campus drunk there is solid proof, and it is easy to immediately punish the person for the offense. A complete careful investigation, in their own words. Your experience is absolutely not inconsequential, in any way, on any level. I always find it interesting they always try to punish students for drinking off campus, if you come back to campus drunk, Smith said. Smith considered leaving the college, and looked into other schools. Have girls refuse to be allowed in cars with boys, since it requires cars to go to Skyline Drive? Adele Smith, class of 2012, experienced some culture shock when she arrived at Christendom. we could! Im not saying that the accused should have been expelled. We can use this process to address inappropriate comments or unreasonable behavior that makes students feel uncomfortable. This is part of the problem: college kids are not children but adults with agency to make decisions for their life. From its founding, Christendom College has rejected federal funding. Their response was a poor excuse for an apology. higher education Discover more about Christendom College Others Named Mark Fusco Mark Fusco Account Executive at Black Kite Mark Fusco Accusing someone, officially, with a VIOLENT FELONY, particularly one that even absent a conviction, or even if done falsely can utterly destroy people, is not something you can just get away with. Smith says the school claimed it takes a long time to implement changes in school policy. I am not making this up. 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. Our culture promotes chivalry and kindness towards everyone at Christendom. Through it, you will gain the communication and critical thinking skills necessary to refine and elevate your intellect and enable you to pursue your profession and personal vocation. Could it be because the policy might show the school in a favorable light? Wow, I just cant even! Teresa, if the school is a place to strengthen ones faith, but they have a history of taking rape and assault lightly, then what does that example say about the Catholic institutions ability to accurately guard and present the faith to these students? complicated memories of the place. Regarding specific inaccuracies, one source has come forward to say her quote was taken out of context to imply something that she never meant it to. I felt him, she said. It isnt nebulous. The reporting alleges/implies that young women arent safe at Christendom, that the university has an ongoing culture of assault and harassment toward women which is accepted by the community, and that the University doesnt help women who have been raped. We cant be legal positivists and simply assume anyone 18 or older is an adult. We need to be realists and recognize that being an adult has objective meaning. Why? This has been mine. Furthermore, it is alleged that you continued to harass her by trying to provoke her to slap you, hit you or kiss you. Up until that point, I considered myself fairly knowledgeable, she said. Adele has no bad girl reputation on campus. in Theological Studies degrees online. They should be paying me for the therapy I need, not the other way around. Catholic apologists will be perma banned without warning. Which most of us dont want to read. 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. She returned the car to her friend, went back to her dorm, sat down in the shower fully clothed, and cried. Amanda Graf, the current Director of Student Affairs at Christendom, confirms that student handbook did not include a policy against sexual assault until 2013, two years after Smith reported her rape. Et cetera. Not because they are animals, but because our culture is hyper-sexualized in a way that has been hitherto unseen. That sounds like quite the emotional roller coaster. 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. Not quoted or described? It was just a generic example used year after year. And so on. A school can also take rape allegations seriously, and remove the accused person from campus. Today a new wave of aggressive secularism is attempting to sweep away the roots and reasons for your faith. It wouldnt quite be in keeping with her recent essay about letting go of anger. Please read above reply concerning accountability. Kind of makes you wonder why there are any rapes in the many (50?) Consent is only nebulous when you refuse to take responsibility for yourself. 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. As a graduate of Christendom, I see no reason why he couldnt have been expelled. Yes, there are individuals at every school who break the rules and go against the culture their school promotes, but here at Christendom, we promote a sense of dignity and appreciation for women that I dont experience in the secular world and not many other Catholic communities. Your email address will not be published. I am very sorry to hear of any sexual assault and it can happen in Front Royal. Was there ever a police report filed? LOL do you really think students who put a mattress on the cement floor of a basement were looking for romance?! The old one, which stands at the heart of the campus, is too . And spent half his classes monologuing about personal-life stuff nobody else cared about. Wed use the in-campus phones in the lobby or in our dorm rooms to call security. Smith herself says these rules drive couples off campus. The only thing that will stop him is a clear splash of water in the face, a no different that all the others, or getting out of the car and running away.