She said all of that, and you are intelligent enough to have reading comprehension. Which means, of course, he may very well have done it again. Read that section of the post again. I can understand the experience of being surrounded by 'unholy' people and being unable to come to grips with them being Not Catholic Enough, though. 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. 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. 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 . I didnt exactly lose my instinct of self-preservation, but I definitely let my guard down at the school and treated it like my home. 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. While it is reasonable for a Catholic school to allow chaste PDAs, its not necessary that do so. Lol, they arent bound by such conventions! So now my daughter must endure the presence of her attacker on the campus. Moreover, both Adele and Mr. [redacted] are adults meaning that Christendom faculty and staff have inherently limited options for enforcing standards of appropriate (or even prudent) conduct, especially when students leave the confines of campus.. I didnt feel like the article clearly painted a picture of how she was personally treated poorly. This sounds like a solution I would expect from a small school, where something major is placed on them. There were crazy people, there were priests who dispensed truly awful guidance in spiritual direction. Why shes even Catholic I do not understand. Smith and her family were floored. Neither of which am I suggesting. [3] Carroll stepped back to focus on teaching history and writing, remaining on the faculty and serving as the chairman of the history department until his retirement in 2002. I currently attend Christendom. Be a patron of the (f)arts! Not super romantic. 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. 240: Challah round the world. Therefore I found you responsible for the violation of Harassment.. She returned the car to her friend, went back to her dorm, sat down in the shower fully clothed, and cried. . Is there a clause in the student handbook prohibiting murder? Right to present a defense OR NOT. Carroll decided not to accept federal funding at the college, choosing instead to rely on generous benefactors. She implored [her brother] Peter to continue to live in Front Royal and to visit the campus often because she felt so unsafe., Scott Smith states in his letter that he left messages for nearly a week before he was able to arrange to speak to the dean, and that the telephone conference was disquieting.. Another tangential point: I dont understand the outrage communicated by so many that the standards for women are so much higher than the one for men, and that a great amount of responsibility rests on our shoulders to keep men chaste. There are a few spots they frequent, but as an undergrad I didnt realize there was much more than the Martins parking lot, where the campus van drops you off. The teachers provide a well rounded education of philosophy, history, theology, literature and political science. Back at the time, when I was an 18-year-old fresh convert, it was EXACTLY the kind of place I wanted to be. A policy for handling this should of course be on the books. Simcha does that, see? 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. Rights to presumption of innocence meaning the burden of proof is on the prosecutor. 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. While this student should have somehow received better care, and more protection from this guy later, and while her story is heartrending, it should not be published in an article whose objective is obviously to smear the college and all the good for which it stands. Not even subtle, in my experience. Heres my letter that i wrote to Christendom last month. If they do, their efforts to grow as a Catholic college will surely be blessed by greater growth in virtue. And some of the friends that I made. If Christendom University has an ongoing serious problem (and it may for all I know), this article doesnt demonstrate that. So places without rda rules have less rape? Second, I havent seen any evidence in this article or in Christendoms response that the accused was placed before college authorities and questioned regarding the incident. You are very brave to speak up. When was the last time you heard of a lie or series of lies a journalist told being prosecuted? Protected: Podcast 28: The beast with one back, Protected: Podcast 27: My interview with Destiny Herndon-De La Rosa of New Wave Feminists, Protected: Podcast 26: sorryFOR FUCKS SAKEsorry, Protected: Podcast 25: On the tip of my tongue. The whole narrative actually seems quite dependent on that, as they pretty much did everything shy of that. Thank you for writing that. I think rape should be a clearly defined and promulgated capital crime so there would be fewer instances and false allegations. I have no doubt that this faith will do the same for each of you if you let it, and perhaps even if you dont. Omigosh. This is garbage, not because there isnt a problem at Christendom, but because your article contains obvious errors in judgment, is clearly slanted with the intent to make Christendom look bad, and doesnt address the actual problems that make these things happen. This gives women more of an opportunity to share a concern or incident with a staff member they trust. I was working maintenance as a student between the times of these incidents. Front Royal Police told her it was out of their jurisdiction, since it had happened in a national park. Yes, the prosecutor has to prove BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT the guilt of the accused. When you have an educational institution; especially a residential one that does not have an explicit sexual assault policy on the books in 2010, its absolutely reasonable to criticize the institution and its actions. When the administration said they would look into the matter, it seems like thats exactly what they did. But this is all a rather side-issue of the #metoo movement more than a discussion of how Christendom is to blame. Thats just scratching the surface. Im sorry, I would not want to hurt anyone and I certainly cant judge the situation. We will continue to do so in fidelity to our mission: to restore all things in Christ. states that have laws saying Dont rape people. Christendom College was gestated in the womb of, Student sexual assault and harassment allegations, Christendom College Graduate School of Theology, See Ibby Caputo and Jon Marcus, "The Controversial Reason Some Religious Colleges Forgo Federal Funding,", The Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, The John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family, The Founding, the Building, and the Glory of Christendom College, "A History of Christendom College | Christendom College", "About Federal Funding | Christendom College", ":: Christendom College News and Events:: The Origins of Christendom College", "Rankings & Endorsements | Christendom College", "A Catholic university providing undergraduate and graduate degrees in a vibrantly Catholic environment | Franciscan University of Steubenville", "Christendom Launches 45th Anniversary Year with Record Enrollment", "Christendom Defies National Enrollment Trend, Implements Waiting List", "Undergraduate Faculty | Christendom College", "White House 'College Scorecard' shuts out conservative schools", "Christendom College to Dedicate New Chapel Next April", "Pope St. John Paul II Meets with Christendom College", "The Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College", "Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas delivers the commencement address at Christendom College", https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/07/the-controversial-reason-some-religious-colleges-forgo-federal-funding/490253/, "Are women safe in Christendom's bubble? best foods to regain strength after covid; retrograde jupiter in 3rd house; jerry brown linda ronstadt; storm huntley partner Because if there were no chastity policy, people wouldnt be pushed into secret places andcould be openly unchaste. is buddy allen married. You described an inability or unwillingness to use your words to say, this is hard, but Im saying no! Yes, there were party girls at SMC. Tag: racism National Congress on the Word of God: A Two-Edged Sword. 2,933 Followers. It may be that the whole thing wasnt handled as it should have been, but then, how should it have been handled? If he was accused again in the future, the record would help support that accusation. https://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/at-the-edge/2015/11/18/rape-on-college-campuses-nearly-1-in-6-freshmen-women-are-assaulted. And the fact that there was not even a hearing to address the rape allegation when it was brought to light is terrible. And also, there were a number of bad experiences in grad school that shouldn't be neglected. This sexualization makes things particularly difficult for men because on men simply of the way men are wired. Guess the best cure for christianity is learning what christianity is actually about. But I dont think we can fully judge any of these stories without hearing the other side. Required fields are marked *. Everyone knew., Smith complained to the school, and she says they gave Marshner a slap on the wrist.. 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. Fixing a problem and addressing a problem are two different things. Dont deny the bad, but try to find the good. A reasonable process may not have been able to do anything about the situation, but a reasonable process still should have been pursued. They have further to go to create safe environments for women. 238: Deep in the heart of New Hampshire, Whats for supper? This is a favored tactic of shoddy journalists who want to do a hit piece, and the Fishers followed the recipe quite well. We clearly received the impression that Mr. Dorman wasnt going to do anything . Perhaps they did mention it. The college also acquired the Notre Dame Institute during O'Donnell's tenure. Catholic apologists will be perma banned without warning. Umm okay? Smith and her family were floored. Not as well as I would have liked, but it was punished. Casting aspersions on the Fisherss motivations reveals much about the commenter. After graduation, she went to a catholic high school that was run by nuns. It was my story. Dr. Timothy T. ODonnell During his tenure, the college increased the number of buildings on campus to over 20, including St. Lawrence Commons, St. Francis, St. Benedict, St. Catherine of Siena, and St. Clare Hall, St. Louis the Crusader Gymnasium, and St. John the Evangelist Library. 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. Hit pieces only need to be tangentially accurate to get 1st amendment protections. It was just a generic example used year after year. Her focus and concentration were gone. 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. Your point is that you disagree and you dont like her shining a journalistic light onto this mess. Honestly, that is all I hear for the first half of the article. The alleged assault did not occur on campus. Its not completely new to me, since Gasp! Lets embrace it. 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. Protected: Podcast 42: Jarods Prancing Musical Show! Enjoy a visit to the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia! I have to wonder why people entrust a liberal arts school board to be able to fairly assess rape allegations, when law enforcement werent able to. As a Catholic, I would imagine you agree that there are actions that are not criminal but that are still wrong. A current professor (Dr. McGuire) who was actually involved in the Adele alleged rape case has come forward in the comments and stated things that were done to help Adele that the Fishers never reported on. Right. But consent is not usually nebulous. And did in fact say no with her body language with arms crossed and legs locked tight? What exactly did you expect to happen, or could have happened? Rapists should be burnt at the stake, but going on a witch-hunt for rape culture does not help. In April of 2011, Smith decided to tell the police about the rape. 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. Exactly as DCNM said: NOT QUOTED OR DESCRIBED. Thats certainly not Christendoms fault.. Our on-campus nurse and counselor are available at no cost and can help with trauma and recovery. Simultaneously persecuted superior and Self hating in that bizarre catholic mix Brilliant line. 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? I used to ask my fiance when we were engaged, do you love me a la folie? Trying to live as a chaste couple before marriage, I was constantly struggling with worries over love and acceptancemany times after making out wildly with him but then walking away and saying goodnight. It must have been completely devastating. If some believe that our efforts and policies have failed to bring justice to their particular situations, please understand that despite being fallen human beings, the faculty and staff do their very best every day to provide a just and safe environment. So, you are saying that because other colleges deal with it badly, that therefore it isnt a scandal that Christendom handled it badly? Sounds great. I would like to know so that I can have a fair understanding of the situation. 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. You might think to yourself, as Miss Smith did for example, Is this really happening? with 50% terror and 50% thrill. Catholics are sinners just like everyone else. I went to a small Catholic school in the 80s and knew all students there did not live up to the standards of the college or the faith. There was one guy who was self-insulated to the point where he was delusionally hostile toward everything "worldly". [42], In 2017, Christendom's rugby team won the NSCRO 7's Collegiate Rugby National Championship in its first year of contention. Any student can stroll on the public road or in the neighborhood across the street nonPDA world, let alone the town, or the rest of the known world. Yeah, the campus is pretty, but the culture is weird. Before I went to Christendom I was the head of my diocesan youth council, so to say I was active in my faith was an understatement. 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! Christendom College is a Catholic liberal arts college offering a time-tested and rigorous education that develops the student's intellect in such a powerful way that he graduates with the ability to master any. Are women safe in Christendoms bubble? Our time-tested integrated liberal arts education is the ideal education for the future. Her point is absolutely credible and relevant. Criticize them for taking a long time. It was very much like a museum, like an exhibit. She will do all she can to honor your requests and make your experience with Christendom College a pleasant and memorable one. As far as our criminal judicial system people are innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This was really well-written. And no-one can really know the statistics. 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. And one of the most glaring incidents you chose to report on didnt even occur on campus, it occurred 30 minutes away. Carroll remained as president until 1985 when Dr. Damian Fedoryka was named as the second president. It is beyond belief that the man has not ever been punished. 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). I say, if you rape off campus, when you come back to campus, youre still a rapist.. Should rapists be burned at the stake without incontrovertible evidence? We ignore it at our peril. He kept saying, Hit me. He kept grabbing my hand and trying to make me slap him, Smith said. Please think twice next time before you do that. It is also questionable whether colleges and universities are equipped to handle such investigations internally. It would be difficult for Christendom to have a fuller Catholic identity. It specifically mentions witnesses. 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). The town and the college have a very interesting relationship. I would go down the road to the convenience store, and hed be sitting outside, and I couldnt walk in. You are correct on what the report alleges and implies. You may think thats not what Simcha is actually advocating for, but her complaint comes across as about as realistic. However, Im not sure the reporting here accurately reflects of the issues at Christendom, and it certainly doesnt lay out anything that can be done to improve conditions for future students, as the few things suggested have already been implemented. She describes the open houses that would take place in the dorms once a semester. Thats certainly not Christendoms fault. It would be difficult for Christendom to have a fuller Catholic identity. When we do so, the conversations about purity culture and what people wear will also become moot points, because it is about power and consent, regardless of gender.
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