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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.. Second, the rape occurred off campus; and so the school considered itself helpless to respond to it. The administration handled a tough situation, that had no evidence supporting the claims of the girl, as best as can be expected. Students live near the Vatican during the fall and spring, taking classes in St. Peter's Square and traveling across Europe during their time abroad. Why not with the rape? 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. I think both sexes can rise to a greater standard. And also, there were a number of bad experiences in grad school that shouldn't be neglected. The colleges response is a legal response to an alleged crime. 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. The Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College. What an incredible witness to the faith! 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. How unCatholic and how tragically demeaning! [40], Christendom has several varsity sports, and has a variety of intramural sports throughout the year. He sat beside her and began to make small talk, putting his hand on her leg. Another student instructed you to leave her alone but you continued. If a Catholic institution is not doing this better than anywhere, what is their justification? 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. 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. He said / she said is a real thing and a difficult thing to manage. But I also understand how difficult this whole situation becomes for Christendom, having no evidence whatsoever. Of course, the university wouldnt be so tactless: thats the engineer in me coming out. And Im sure you also understand our need to be loved an accepted. 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 faculty at this school is one of the most remarkable aspects of Christendom. College disciplinary boards, however, can set whatever standards they want, especially a completely independent institution like Christendom. If she feels so strongly about it now and is willing to come out publicly and smear the College, bring him forward as well. I feel challenged, respected, and loved by my teachers and am so grateful to be their student. As a woman, a student, and a human being I am respected. The teacher gave the class a hypothetical example of a young man and woman who were dating and decided to go off campus to Skyline Drive. I can understand completely the reasons behind not having visitors of the opposite sex in the dorms, however the upstairs magazine reading room in the library was also dubbed the Romeo and Juliet room since couples would go there to make out. I didnt say they should immediately assume hes a rapist, call him a rapist, and publicly expel him as a rapist. 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. Smith skipped many classes her sophomore year, unable to endure being in the same room with him. Rather, the incident apparently occurred in a national park several miles away from Christendoms campus, ODonnell wrote in his letter to Scott Smith. Simcha is right on in insisting that consent be taught at Christendom and in Catholic bubbles. Maybe because I studied theology and philosophy I did not experience this? I am so sad you had to live through that. In what world is this okay? Smith said. 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. As a current parent at Christendom I was floored by this article. Never, under any circumstances, admit that it was a complicated process that involved implementing a parallel judicial system. Huh. That often results in rapists going free and never even getting charged for lack of evidence. 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. That is a fundamental principle of justice. Her parents, brother, and friends encouraged her to transfer. These are Catholic seminarians. i am beginning to wonder if it really exists or is just a figment of a perverted imagination. A week later, in a letter dated May 23, 2011, President ODonnell responded. Your article doesnt make sense . 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.. 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. There is no thrill in rape. They know they are not as upstanding as they would like. I can tell you as someone whos had to deal with rape incidents associated with schools hes worked for, that Christendom is not a school that gives off a dangerous vibe. In 1997, Warren Carroll acknowledged the debt Christendom College owed to L. Brent Bozell Jr. and Triumph magazine in his obituary for Bozell: In 1979, the College acquired its new campus in Front Royal, Virginia, overlooking the Shenandoah River. I would like to know so that I can have a fair understanding of the situation. But consent is not usually nebulous. His punishment: He could not live on campus for one semester, and he could not contact Adele Smith. While maybe thats small in comparison to rape, its not a small step for a school to take. Way to play Blame the Victim! I went there for four and a half years, and my experience was the opposite they were *really* hard on sexual issues, and pretty lenient on the drinking. Because what you have doesnt pass the smell test. When the schools response is to prevent the rapist from living on campus for a semester, and a professor welcomes him into his home while smearing the student who was raped in class, without serious consequences, its fair to criticize the school. 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. Its not just about getting justice for victims or punishing perpetrators, its about HOW the institution responds to allegations and the environment the institution fosters to start with. President Protected: Podcast 33: Hes a very nice guy. 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 must have some political sway, as they probably provide a great deal of the towns revenue. His punishment: He could not live on campus for one semester, and he could not contact Adele Smith. Our culture promotes chivalry and kindness towards everyone at Christendom. The schools rigid rules governing male and female interaction werent just awkward, though. Graduates can choose from three theological concentrations: Systematic Theology, Moral Theology, and Catechetics. Are you saying that these rapists would have been content to make out on a public bench or in a public common room? i Love this reply. The accused do NOT have to prove their innocence. 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. Religious Affiliation:Roman CatholicYear Founded:1977Degrees:Associate of Arts (A.A.), Bachelor of Arts (B.A. If you dont have weed places, does that mean youll get crack places? Hurt by Catholics? Is it supported by super-strength body language? Christendom is NOT in the Arctic Circle. This gives women more of an opportunity to share a concern or incident with a staff member they trust. Should rapists be burned at the stake without incontrovertible evidence? [12] Construction began in 1992, and was completed in 1995. nor were the other women I know who hung out with them. We contacted the young man and he has not yet responded, so we are not using his name at this time. 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. 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. The woman interviewed described what she remembered from the time she was there. In April of 2011, Smith decided to tell the police about the rape. The first amendment offers incredible protections for shoddy journalism like this piece offers. We should demand it be better. 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. [in loco parentis] is not a phrase that I use with any frequency, ODonnell wrote toward the end of his letter to Scott Smith. To find out more about Student Achievement at Christendom, click here. Imply that there is a pattern and that the pattern is indicative of the current campus environment. Yup, I sure did do it! Reading the few witnessed sentences we have from the perp, the man sounds like a TRUE sociopath. No is no is no. And so on. If Christendom University has an ongoing serious problem (and it may for all I know), this article doesnt demonstrate that. Im only speaking from experience to illustrate what I see as a very nebulous scenario for both parties. What did happen on campus was punished. The more men have to be heroic, the more women do as well. Which means, of course, he may very well have done it again. In 1992, Dr. Timothy O'Donnell, who had been a professor at Christendom since 1985, was named as the college's third president. As I said, virtue thrives in the light. It was usually fairly evident who those people were and if you didnt want trouble, you stayed out of their circle. I remember this clearly from my own dating daysin your head your thinking I dont want to have sex, but gosh, Im attracted to him right now and I dont want to stop! I was absolutely torn in two. So places without rda rules have less rape? The hollow piety I encountered there was so devastating, I expected everyone to be devout, not just going through the motions. 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 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. The wonderful thing is that in America there are thousands of schools that allow all of those things. 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. The teachers provide a well rounded education of philosophy, history, theology, literature and political science. . All I do have is the perspective of a dumb young adult who thought he'd found Heaven's outpost on earth. Im sorry, but your logic is misconstrued here. If they had to leave public areas to show affection, then they might as well go to the prettiest. 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. In many cases, I doubt it. I had been waiting for marriage. You described an inability or unwillingness to use your words to say, this is hard, but Im saying no! 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. The college has not released the results of this audit to the public. And all the fancy words you use cant hide that. I went to the March for Life in DC (I was very anti-abortion ber-Catholic). 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). 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. 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. In the example, they decide to fornicate, but then the young woman regrets her choice, and decides to claim the young man attacked her. This has been mine. It would do a lot to restore peoples faith in the institution. From its founding, Christendom College has rejected federal funding. If these girls arent worldly and thats why this happened then there really is no safety left anywhere. Its not that a policy would prevent the problem but rather that it would provide grounds for discipline within the schools jurisdiction. Her subsequent behavior is entirely consistent with that of someone who has been traumatized and assaulted. It seems hypocritical to demand that the school find him guilty of rape and expel him if you are going to hide his name until he tells his side of the story. 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. 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. Her phrasing seems to imply that there was no second year at this secular college. But I am saying, and I think Simcha is saying too, that the accuser was not treated properly. It does truly permeate the campus. But then into your mind jumps the thought no, I wanted to be married. [3] The college also retired nearly $600,000 in debt without disrupting the growth of the college.[8]. 240: Challah round the world. It creates an unhealthy culture. The entire passage describing his offense is as follows: Specifically, you admitted: to placing your hand on Adele Smiths knee, attempting to provoke her to slap you and or to kiss you to deal with her frustrations with you, and finally for telling some students around campus that she had seduced you. She has nightmares about the incident. At that point, he does not see the difference between this no and that one. There is no statute of limitations for rape in Virginia (https://www.rainn.org/pdf-files-and-other-documents/Public-Policy/Legal-resources/2009-Statutes/09VirginiaStatutes.pdf). [14] The school has also broken enrollment goals and records numerous years in a row, defying declining higher education enrollment trends across the United States. Sexual harassment and assault is inimical to such an environment. These are some of the difficult questions the college should have asked itself. Christendom teaches its students to group date first. 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. Openly. Please teach your children that no always means NO so they will not be victims or predators. Were charged ever filed? 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. Feminist =Baal worshipper. It was very competitive, I constantly felt like I didn't have my shit together enough to keep up with my peers, felt threatened by the overwhelmingly progressive social atmosphere. Having said that, I have fallen away from the Church now and whenever I look back I have a sense of bitterness to temper the sweetness of the memories. Most of secular culture righteously denounces rape, and praises consent. 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. If that happens, hopefully the young lady will have a CRKT S.P.E.W. In your own words, this article is about how this student should have received better care, and more protection from this guy later. Yes, I can see now how that should be a good rule of thumb. For Damien Fisher to accuse his source Mrs. Foeckler of meaning what he wrote and not what she claims she meant is an act of astounding arrogance. 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. 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. But actual campus police on a campus of 400? When youre Catholic youre taught that your virginity is one of the best gifts you have, a gift you can give your husband, Smith said. The town has over 14,000 people, so the college isnt a large part of it. Dont like it? #2. letter kind of reminds me of sessions of my 8th grade social dancing classes If you admit to being a feminist, well, you might as well admit to worshipping Baal. Finally comfortable in my own skin, as long as I avoid the dreaded Catholic bubble. Funding for the creation of this archive was generously provided by Christendom College. Well said. 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. Enjoy a visit to the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia! We will do better. 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 think rape should be a clearly defined and promulgated capital crime so there would be fewer instances and false allegations. This article sounds like Stephanie Meyer had a hay day, so if thats what you were going for, good job! It is a Catholic college. hanging alongside her brown scapula. Fixing a problem and addressing a problem are two different things. We can use this process to address inappropriate comments or unreasonable behavior that makes students feel uncomfortable. . [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. FORTIFYING A COLLEGE THAT PROUDLY REJECTS FEDERAL AID. 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. 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. 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. Congrats for finding a better life path. He told me he was often bothered by the question about the purpose of satan's existence as a specifically troubling version of the problem of evil. Does the handbook have to repeat the entire criminal code? Small, comfy (by Catholic standards), friendly, followed Church rules, Catholic-focused academics (theology classes, everything oriented toward Europe and Church history, etc.). Can confirm. DCNM, can you please explain a context, any context, in which that quote isnt damning? First, Christendom College could have made their own report to the police. The criticism is directed towards how the school handled the matter after the legal authorities failed. The school determined the young man was responsible for the violation of Harassment.. 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. There is a problem when Hollywood is doing a better job, and that problem deserves a discussion. 238: Deep in the heart of New Hampshire, Whats for supper? I was working maintenance as a student between the times of these incidents. When was the last time you heard of a lie or series of lies a journalist told being prosecuted? however CC is thriving on a 50s mentality that supports men as always being the bad guys and/ or the immaculate prince and responsible for the assaults and women (not girls) women as meek little things who just go along. CC seems to be a very dangerous place for all. The old one, which stands at the heart of the campus, is too . [12], The college's Junior Semester in Rome program was established in 2002. They do not invalidate the substance of the story. I dont know what transpired during their internal investigation, but the college could have called both accused and accuser (separately) to give testimony in the presence of an attorney. 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. 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? Very interesting. 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. Smiths parents also drove the four hundred miles to meet with the dean, hoping to encourage him to take the charges against their daughters rapist seriously. I mean, if men are more rational and authoritative and have more of the image of God in them, why would I be afraid to be alone with this superior being? 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. ), Protected: Podcast #48: Accidentally unnamed, Protected: Podcast #46: Mamas little snakey loves bananofee pie, Protected: Podcast #45: Sharples and cocaine, Protected: Podcast 44: Some degree of martyrdom, One long dad joke: My interview with EOTTs S.C. Naoum. We clearly received the impression that Mr. Dorman wasnt going to do anything . Its getting harder and harder for them in todays society. i was so unhappy my freshman year, couldnt understand why and decided i needed to study abroad in austria to fix myself. Neither of which am I suggesting. Were charged ever filed? Meanwhile, these suggestions that its the no PDA policy thats to blame, really is bizarrely pseudo Freudian. She sought psychological help from Dr. Patrick Divietri. 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. I really, really hope that she isnt approaching her stories with a big chip on her shoulder towards anything conservative Catholic. This is America. [27], On January 16, 2018, Catholic blogger Simcha Fisher broke the story of three rape and sexual harassment allegations by students of the college. Another day, while other students played some sort of game on campus, the young man approached her and began to insist that she slap him across the face. [2] It still occupies this site today. I believe Miss Smiths story too, but I cant verify it. How insulting is this point of view: all men will rape given the right kind of no.. I have lived in Front Royal for more than 15 years. A recent blog, which contains misleading information and serious inaccuracies, was posted about Christendom College. Overview Christendom College is a Comprehensive institution located in Front Royal, VA, in a rural setting. I was not aware that in journalism, one protects the names of alleged rapists. Criticize them for taking a long time. Why? . Im a Canadian and while on a bus road trip around the US at 17 (amazing I wasnt murdered), I stopped there to check it out at my dads prompting. [45] This was the school's first 15s rugby National Championship title. L.A. council President Nury Martinez faces pressure to resign after racist remarks in leaked audio. want more proof of sexual assualts? Hes not stopping. Maybe you didnt mean to imply this to be the case for her, but using her name in the example makes it seem so. Money should not stand in the way of your dreams, Those looking at Catholic colleges frequentlyask: How can I afford this education? Whenit comes to Christendom College, the realquestion families should be asking is: Howcan I afford not to attend Christendom?. 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. Is the suggestion that Christendom should act in the place of the police, even without evidence of the rape? This article sound like the argument for legalization of abortion: if abortion had been legal, coat-hangar abortions never would have happened. When she told a few of her friends that something had happened between them, he began circulating the story that she had seduced him and then regretted it. BUT. But what jumps out at me is that this happened not because of following the colleges policies, but because of disregarding them. I feel respected by my fellow classmates, male and female. Lets embrace it. From what I understand, the school has only gotten worse. RAs are now trained in responding to and reporting sexual harassment or assault. 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? History [ edit] Founding [ edit] 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. 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.