Not as well as I would have liked, but it was punished. I remember thinking, Is that what I think it is? Protected: Podcast 23: Look at that s car go! You are correct on what the report alleges and implies. @ChristendomVA. No wonder Christendom is so embarrassed that they havent put their apology on their website yet. Tweets. 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. What I found was the opposite, the longer a person had been at Christendom the less likely they were to show Christian charity, or even a spirit of evangelization. And, of course, they could have gone for a walk down the road if all they wanted was to hold hands. What was he going to say? In 1992, Dr. Timothy O'Donnell, who had been a professor at Christendom since 1985, was named as the college's third president. The rape occurred on Friday, October 2, 2009, on Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park, about thirty minutes away from the college campus. Does the handbook have to repeat the entire criminal code? National Congress On The Word Of God: A Two-Edged Sword By WILLIAM H. MARSHNER. Shes taken a lot of crap from that quarter and it would be a misuse of her great gift of writing to use it as payback. Theresa, I agree the Admin still needs to prove it is committed and i think the spotlight being held on them by this article will be helpful. That is not the case at all with rape. 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]. I said the college had an obligation to investigate by questioning him directly (in a private setting) about the rape. It may be that the whole thing wasnt handled as it should have been, but then, how should it have been handled? No is no is no. Youve been completely infected by the porn saturated culture we live in. Not that simple. It would do a great deal more to restore faith in their school if they would be open about the affair. Merely printing something against rape seems redundant, though. His behavior is horrible and I hope that he experiences the full extent of the justice system. But then into your mind jumps the thought no, I wanted to be married. 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. The school, itself, is actually quite safe, so safe that even when rape happens among its own students, it has to happen off the school grounds. Here he was accused of rape, but they got him on harassment to be banned from the campus. Are you saying that because Christendom isnt under governmental control this happened? Carroll decided not to accept federal funding at the college, choosing instead to rely on generous benefactors. Christendom College is a Catholic liberal arts college in Front Royal, Virginia, United States, located in the Shenandoah Valley. I can tell you personally when I read the hand holding policy I thought it was a paper rule, I had no idea the lengths of its enforcement. And I still have some fond memories of the place, even today. They have a right to speak about the crimes committed against them. I was working maintenance as a student between the times of these incidents. Her grades continued to be low for the rest of her junior year. To those students who have been harmed, I am deeply sorry. Adele Smith, in the article above, expected to perpetrator to be expelled based on her narrative that she presented. von | Jun 17, 2022 | tornadoes of 1965 | | Jun 17, 2022 | tornadoes of 1965 | If you think this article was largely about how the dorm set up is responsible for this rape, you didnt read the whole article. Because Simcha has an ax to grind. O'Donnell's biggest building contribution was the new Chapel of Christ the King, which he promised in his inaugural address as president. . Its portrayed here as poorly as possible but you cant just go ruining guys lives like this. Then, one day during her senior year, her friend texted her that Marshner was talking about her in his moral theology class, using thinly veiled language. Oct. 12, 202201:21. Off campus. So you know how safe it felt and looked. I dont consider Cdoms PDA policy unreasonable. [43] The team defeated St. Mary's College of Maryland in overtime to capture the title, earning the school its first National Championship.[44]. Most likely she was in a Trad house and that is why they considered it beneath them to discuss sex at all with their daughter and how to protect herself from seedy guys. Rapists should be tarred and feathered (or worse). She sought psychological help from Dr. Patrick Divietri. The alleged assault did not occur on campus. And the sexist views of some professors didnt help us stay safe. christendom college racism. Have girls refuse to be allowed in cars with boys, since it requires cars to go to Skyline Drive? President It was just a generic example used year after year. I think rape should be a clearly defined and promulgated capital crime so there would be fewer instances and false allegations. If a Catholic institution is not doing this better than anywhere, what is their justification? DCNM, can you please explain a context, any context, in which that quote isnt damning? Because Christendom is in a rural, isolated spot with few restaurants, clubs, museums or theaters, going off campus generally means going into the woods or into a field. The two students in the article drove past a large number of public places where they could have held hands or kissed. Error thrives in darkness. Smith says that the administration cracked down on professors hosting off-campus parties, because they involved drinking. PDA rules that no longer exist, criticizing faculty that no longer are there? 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. 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). She told her friends, He had sex with me, and I didnt want to.. I went there for one semester (spring 2014). The cost of the chapel is estimated to run approximately $13.5 million, with an additional $13.5 million allocated to the endowment and the remaining $13 million going to the annual fund. The colleges response is a legal response to an alleged crime. Im sad to hear about his victim, especially since I had a similar experience with a non-Catholic pastor. 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. Maybe because I studied theology and philosophy I did not experience this? The comparison between rape and public drunkenness is egregiously unfair. After what felt like hours, he left. Simultaneously persecuted superior and Self hating in that bizarre catholic mix Brilliant line. Accountability, yes, definitely. 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?. Finally comfortable in my own skin, as long as I avoid the dreaded Catholic bubble. Christendom has taken several steps forward. Protected: Podcast #15: Completely Meat Chocolate Pie, Protected: Podcast #14: I wish I had a whip. "[25], Over the years, the college has also received praise from political leaders in the United States. 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. And so on. Very interesting. A Christendom drop out here. I think people in leadership positions, especially those who are tasked with ensuring the safety of communities, have to man up and make difficult decisions sometimes, even at the risk of being regarded as unfair. It isnt nebulous. They have further to go to create safe environments for women. Which means, of course, he may very well have done it again. At first she didnt want to allow that word, and grew defensive, blaming herself for the assault. What did happen on campus was punished. Come on. Because these issues are so very serious, and it would be negligent to look the other way. I think theres definitely room for improvement in the colleges dealings, but as DCLM already made clear, the school was being asked to provide a parallel court, which is not easy. 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. states that have laws saying Dont rape people. For the record, my first year of university was spent at a secular institution in mixed accommodation with no regulations on behaviour between the sexes. Under her tenure, the graduate school began offering M.A. My criticism of this article is blaming Christendom for not doing the same thing this article can not; openly accuse the man in question of rape. 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. If she feels so strongly about it now and is willing to come out publicly and smear the College, bring him forward as well. What policy would you advocate? Christendom College is one of the best liberal arts colleges in America. In addition, the article didnt clarify that the college has gotten rid of many of the policies and rules that are being blamed in this article for the assaults (e.g., the no-holding hands rule was jettisoned a while ago). The passion rises. Woody Allen has an even more credible allegation against him, but still gets to make movies. I want trying to make things seem like a cheap sex novel, just trying to illustrate that things can happen quickly without us really knowing what is going on, which we can later regret. The incident does not seem too unlike the OJ trial in that OJ killed someone and was trialed for something far less severe later on. 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. But when someone stated they were raped, you do not tell them oh come on, you gave in to the thrill more than the fear. unless you are a member of the clergy etc YOU ARE IN THE SECULAR WORLD. 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). No means no. I am astounded that the article says rapist rather than alleged rapist. There was nothing to stop this from happening again, Smith said. 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. Protected: Podcast 38: In which we hit rock bottom. yes! The semester also includes a week's pilgrimage to Assisi and Siena as well as a trip to Florence. 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. Rights to presumption of innocence meaning the burden of proof is on the prosecutor. When I approached President ODonnel about it, I was stone-walled. teacher what had happened. [19], Christendom College has received notable attention from members of the Catholic Church since its founding in 1977, including from Pope John Paul II. The College offers two/three daily Masses; daily Confession, Rosary, and Eucharistic adoration; and celebrates together many liturgical and cultural feasts. [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. That was not how my parents were, but sex assault is unique crime. The problems with rape at Christendom are the problems with rape anywhere. Is there a clause in the student handbook prohibiting murder? https://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/at-the-edge/2015/11/18/rape-on-college-campuses-nearly-1-in-6-freshmen-women-are-assaulted. LOL do you really think students who put a mattress on the cement floor of a basement were looking for romance?! #1 . Second, the rape occurred off campus; and so the school considered itself helpless to respond to it. Wed use the in-campus phones in the lobby or in our dorm rooms to call security. Critics claimed that conservative schools, such as Hillsdale College, Grove City College, and Christendom were intentionally left off due to their conservative values. It was still seen that women should be revered for other reasons by these men. Ask any psychologist who works with seminarians how many enter the seminary struggling in a battle against pornography. They had a legal responsibility to investigate throughly, and a moral responsibility to respond appropriately, which they did not do. And then we blame schools that are actually making efforts to establish some social mores to help guide young people? There was one guy who was self-insulated to the point where he was delusionally hostile toward everything "worldly". Discouraged, Smith hesitated, then eventually called law enforcement rangers and met with them at Shenandoah National Park. Wow, I just cant even! You should realize how awful it is to give the impression that the woman who was raped merely only implied 50% no. As a Catholic, I would imagine you agree that there are actions that are not criminal but that are still wrong. I dont know what the college should have done or not done. should be torn down. 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? Its just a natural human need to connect with someone youre in a relationship with, Smith said. Have we learned nothing in the past 15 years? higher education Discover more about Christendom College Others Named Mark Fusco Mark Fusco Account Executive at Black Kite Mark Fusco I've got. 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. Maybe that needs to be spoken about more openly among students. Its not that a policy would prevent the problem but rather that it would provide grounds for discipline within the schools jurisdiction. The cultural revolution of the twentieth century continues to take its toll on the world and on Catholic higher education. How clear is our no, really? Along with converting I made friends with a bunch of conservative catholics (not trads, but your typical intellectual ratzinger fan types). The hollow piety I encountered there was so devastating, I expected everyone to be devout, not just going through the motions. 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. 1) Christendom is very small and a step off campus puts one right back in the non-PDA world. Im not saying that the accused should have been expelled. I'd imagine that (patriarchal misognynists being patriarchal misogynists) the experience would've been a lot worse for those folks. Trad bubble alert! Could more evidence have been gathered? . It has been hard to process that and it is hard to look back without having suspicions towards many of even the "well-meaning and reasonable" authorities on campus. Obviously they wouldnt escort us if we wanted to, say, walk across the road to Notre Dame, because that was going outside the campus bounds, but there was a nice shuttle bus system running between SMC and Notre Dame. Thank you for writing that. I must charitably assume (another term I learned there) this must have been chaste, but it still looked extremely odd. He responded by calling her a bitch and a prude, and saying, You know you liked it. She blocked his number. I do think it unfair and infuriating that in the modern world where young people are wandering in a culture without any norms or mores, women are less protected and offer suffer much more than the men do. Christendom College is a Catholic liberal arts college in Front Royal, Virginia, United States, located in the Shenandoah Valley. 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. Thats precisely what happened when Smith was raped by her then-boyfriend, a fellow Christendom student. She remembers standing outside the car, smoking a cigarette and shaking, and her boyfriend saying he didnt know why she was making such a big deal out of it. The fact that you view consent as nebulous is a personal problem. Simcha does that, see? If you read the original article, it was clear that the school failed on many counts to do what an institution that claims to be Catholic should have done. Christendom takes matters smaller than this issue into its own hands often. I kept up with a few of my friar classmates over the years. This article sound like the argument for legalization of abortion: if abortion had been legal, coat-hangar abortions never would have happened. People might think they are trying to help women, and that is an unacceptable conclusion. Similar to the reasonings at Hillsdale College, Carroll believed that the government might eventually intrude on Christendom's academic and religious freedom.[4]. 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. The faculty at this school is one of the most remarkable aspects of Christendom. 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. There was that one time I got a booty call from an upperclassman with a key to the administrative building. But you arent asking that question seriously. Casting aspersions on the Fisherss motivations reveals much about the commenter. Podcast #57: And then the internet took off. It was oppressively stifling there. 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. Opposite sex couples PDA was forbidden, while some young women regularly shared dorm beds with their friends. There are more than a few other academic institutions whose rates of rape and sexual assault are much higher and/or go under-reported. But I think what this often boils down to is he said vs she said. There are women who lie, even if they are a tiny minority. Why would the accusers parents ever, ever, ever send their daughter back to the place where she was abused and seemingly unhappy, uncomfortable and failing classes? We have video footage of crimes being committed and the persons pictured are still spoken of in the media and elsewhere as the alleged perpetrators. And no-one can really know the statistics. Class of '13 here, BA in History, Magna cum Laude. . I was that fallen woman, and I didnt want my parents to see me that way. 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. nor were the other women I know who hung out with them. 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. 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. Im sorry, but your logic is misconstrued here. RAs are now trained in responding to and reporting sexual harassment or assault. But I am saying, and I think Simcha is saying too, that the accuser was not treated properly. Doesnt a higher responsibility denote a special power to influence culture? After the sanctions were imposed, Smith and the young man still had classes together, including core classes that were required for all students. i would find out who is funding this school of etiquette masking as an institution of higher learning before i would give them a plug nickle.. That is different from critiquing the PDA policy and segregated dorms. He is the author of The Persecuted: True Stories of. If you admit to being a feminist, well, you might as well admit to worshipping Baal. Its not 50% excitement its 100% terror. Your email address will not be published. She had no objection, as they had kissed before. The fact that you think men are walking around Christendoms campus grabbing at womens arses and nobody does anything because their is a boys will be boys attitude just shows how naive you are. The teachers provide a well rounded education of philosophy, history, theology, literature and political science. Simcha, Im not quite sure what any of the rape allegations have to do with Christendom College. 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. The other allegations against him were also by hearsay, and they put those allegations in writing and asked him to defend himself. They could end abortion, and poverty, and racism, and poor educational opportunities, and lack of jobs, and poor housing, and nepotism in the local government, and drug use among teens, and unresponsive bureaucracies, and lousy healthcare in the local hospital, and the high cost of medicine locally, and the massive local traffic jams on peepers weekends. The College is actually small enough, and physically remote from the built-up town center, that it is more ignored than anything. But when he started putting his hand inside her shirt, she told him No, and pushed his hand away. I would posit that when a woman is ovulating her sex drive out strips a mans, I think womens sex drives tend to be ignored because men are more sexual which isnt the case. What did this mean about me in my conservative Christian culture? 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. Honestly, that is all I hear for the first half of the article. Students from over 45 states and 7 foreign countries are attracted to the Colleges Catholic family atmosphere and its dedication to the restoration of a truly Catholic culture. The men with whom I interact at school have consistently shown me respect whether it be through opening doors for me, saying good morning, supporting my academic pursuits, or courteously taking part in a discussion. Was there ever a police report filed? But is it really fair to expect men to navigate all the mixed signals? i ended up choosing Franciscan University instead because it was my parents choice. It is also questionable whether colleges and universities are equipped to handle such investigations internally. 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. The inaccuracies you mention are minor. That is a fundamental principle of justice. Protected: Podcast #16: Reporticus Shutupicus! 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. 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. It wasnt until August of that year that the language was added to the handbook. Forgettable as most commencement addresses are, I remember yours clearly, Scott Smith wrote to ODonnell. Throughout the letter, ODonnell refers to the young man by his last name, but refers to Adele Smith by her first name. This article is a libel suit waiting to happen. Men and women BOTH have free will. I felt safe there. While I am not a Christendom graduate, I know many graduates. I cant relate myself, but I hope youre doing well now! The victims always blame themselves.. Yeah, the campus is pretty, but the culture is weird. 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. And St. Peters church (or rather the organ there). I graduated in 08, did I know him? It felt like a never ending guilt trip. He also told some students that she pulled a knife and forced him into sexual acts. And meanwhile, you get a certain thrill from seeing that now youve unleashed his passion and he DOES love you a la folie. Higher rates of rape, according to USNews&World Report. 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. When I was in the middle school (age 12-15 in my country), there was that one super religious girl in my class. Click here to learn more. Help me fund this site and get access to my and my husbands occasional podcast and other perks. She links to it directly! All his body language was hostile and arrogant.. On the day of the rape, she re-injured her back while cleaning her room for Homecoming Weekend, and so her new boyfriend suggested that they have a low-key, relaxing date. Christendom College offers an amazing Liberal Arts education that is immersed in the Catholic Faith. Few go this far and remain unharmed. Unfortunately we cant actually know if Christendom is safer when they dont even write down that there was an allegation. It was my story. Case in point, when I started going off the rails I would have expected my fellow Catholics to guide me back, especially the older more experienced upper classman I tried to lean on. That sounds like quite the emotional roller coaster. I was in grad school at Yale during the first part of my deconversion. Omigosh. in austria i was still unhappy, decided to leave early with an Associates degree. ), 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. Sounds great. Have you seen the alleged rape rate at those colleges that DO accept federal funds?? I had seen already something was wrong, something had happened, Foeckler said. Smith skipped many classes her sophomore year, unable to endure being in the same room with him. In many cases, I doubt it. The school promised to conduct a complete and careful investigation.. Every street, business, coffeehouse, fast food place, restaurant, movie theater, shopping center, library, store, park. You clearly didnt read my comments carefully. [38], Christendom College has two schools offering graduate and undergraduate degrees. This story was researched and reported by Damien and Simcha Fisher. Well said. There were crazy people, there were priests who dispensed truly awful guidance in spiritual direction. It was a good conversation, to this day he is one of the only people I've spoken with in real life who I think truly understood the problem and its implications. Accused have rights. Its something I can share with bubble parents. Ive never read porn, eeek! The other items linked ARE quoted and described in the article. #2. letter kind of reminds me of sessions of my 8th grade social dancing classes Perhaps could have been goaded into admitting he forced her against her will via text if tweeked in the right way. And Im sure you also understand our need to be loved an accepted. It has nothing to do with thinking that drinking is worse than sexual assault. 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. A male Residence Life staff member also lives on campus to assist the men.
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