STUDENTS COMPLAIN ABOUT EXPLICIT 'SEX CLASSES' AT PROVIDENCE COLLEGE

Cardinal Newman Society and THE CROWL ^ | 06.25.03

[Coleus]

STUDENTS COMPLAIN ABOUT EXPLICIT 'SEX CLASSES' AT PROVIDENCE

 

The Cowl, a student newspaper at Providence College (RI), has published a detailed report on three sociology courses known on campus as the "sex classes."  (The report is online at
http://www.thecowl.com/main.cfm?include=detail&storyid=407037 .) 

 

Students complain the courses--titled Modern Society, Sociology of the Family and Sociology of Human Fertility, all taught by Assistant Professor of Sociology James Moorhead--include explicit and offensive discussion of sexual issues that runs contrary to Catholic teaching, according to The Cowl.  Students claim class participants have been urged to discuss and advise each other on sexual experiences.

The Cowl reported that Racheal D'Ambrosia, who graduated from Providence this spring, filed a formal complaint with the college administration in May 2002.  D'Ambrosia claimed that she was taught that "adultery is an integral part of any marriage," "marriages are meant to end in divorce," men should freely have sex with women and "Catholicism is 'patriarchal bull---t'", among other things.

Moorhead responded to The Cowl article with a brief letter to the editor, claiming falsehoods in the article but declining to identify them.  The Cowl has published other letters from students and alumni defending Moorhead's teaching style but not contradicting The Cowl's specific claims about statements and discussions during the courses.  Catholic Higher Education Alert delayed reporting on the controversy while allowing Moorhead time to rebut The Cowl article, but phone and e-mail messages have not been answered.

Warning: D'Ambrosia's complaint and The Cowl article are explicit. Readers may review them online at the link above.

ACTION: Contact Providence College's president and urge him to investigate students' complaints.  President: Rev. Philip A. Smith, O.P.  Phone: (401) 865-1000.  Address: 549 River Ave., Providence, RI 02918.      psmith@providence.edu

 

Fr. Mark Nowel O.P., Ph.D.

Dean of Undergraduate Studies

Fr. Mark Nowell, Dean of Undergraduate Studies
mnowel@providence.edu

Professor Moorehead

Moorehead@providence.edu

Page 230

http://www.providence.edu/college-relations/onlincat/programs6.pdf

 

________________________

College defends its Vagina silence
By As submitted by the Providence College Cabinet
The Feb. 6, 2003 issue of The Cowl carried an article indicating that Eve Ensler's Vagina Monologues will be produced on the campus of Providence College at an unspecified date in March. According to the article, the college administration's "fear of the word 'vagina' conflicts sharply with today's culture of therapy in which to talk about something is to make it safe an manageable. Naming is power: for these women, the freedom to discuss their bodies equals the freedom to control their own sexuality." The article goes on to note that the Vagina Monologues are not intended "to glorify promiscuity, infidelity, or obscenity," but "to bring the right word back into popular use." In this way, the Monologues will reduce "anxiety over the use of the word vagina."

While the goals of combating violence against women and affirming the therapeutic value of naming are laudable, The Cowl article's perspective on the Monologues is incomplete. The college administration has no fear of the word "vagina" and indeed recognizes that the therapeutic culture of "naming" is older than "today's culture" and broader than patients or victims merely "naming" the source of their anxiety. The therapeutic culture of "naming" is found in the beliefs and practices of both the Old and New Testaments. It includes the ancient Judeo-Christian practice of exorcism in which a rabbi or a priest compels a demon to reveal and name itself by invoking God and the community. Freed from the affliction, the victims are then restored to the community they had been excluded from because of the affliction.

In the current therapeutic process, healing takes place in stages. Naming the affliction and relating the story must be preceded by developing a trusting, healing relationship and followed by restoring the person to the community and eliminating the conditions that caused the suffering. As a Catholic community, Providence College should strive to enhance the dignity of women and to combat violence against them within the context of a trusting and supportive community where all are welcomed and each can flourish, a community united in mind and heart, enlightened Gob's wisdom and assisted by divine grace.

One of the objectives of the College's educational program, explicitly affirmed by faculty in their handbook and reaffirmed in each faculty contract, is "the development of ethics and values informed by the teachings of Catholicism and the Dominican Order." Much of the content and the language of the Vagina Monologues runs counter to this educational objective and to the "intellectual, social, moral and the spiritual values" proclaimed in the Mission Statement and is at odds with the ideals and values embodied in the Catholic tradition.

The Cowl article notes that the Monologues "could only be represented by a faculty department in the name of academic freedom." The College as a whole, as well as individual faculty, has the right, perhaps the obligations, to prohibit the performance of the Vagina Monologues. On this occasion, the Administration neither support the performance of the Monologues not condones any material that sanctions or promotes behavior or lifestyles that are contrary to the Mission Statement of Providence College and the teachings of the Catholic Church. In addition, it should be made clear that college funds may not be used to promote or support the production of the play in any way.

http://www.thecowl.com/main.cfm?include=detail&storyid=381844

[Coleus]

Providence College is a primarily undergraduate, liberal arts, Catholic institution of higher education. Committed to fostering academic excellence through the sciences and humanities, the College provides a variety of opportunities for intellectual, social, moral and spiritual growth in a supportive environment. The College actively cultivates intellectual, spiritual, ethical and aesthetic values within the context of the Judaeo-Christian heritage. These values are nurtured by the unique tradition of the Dominican Order which emphasizes quality teaching and scholarship.

Providence College recognizes the unity of the human family that proceeds from its one Creator. It therefore encourages the deepest respect for the essential dignity, freedom and equality of every person and welcomes qualified women and men from all religious, racial and ethnic backgrounds. Providence College prepares its students to be responsible and productive citizens to serve in their own society and the greater world community.

[LiteKeeper]

Education INTSUM

[UpToHere]

Providence College is a primarily undergraduate, liberal arts, Catholic institution of higher education. Committed to fostering academic excellence through the sciences and humanities

Sounds like a fun college. Love the homework. Actually though, while growing up in the 30/40's my father never thought too much about my going to college. Infact he appeared to want me to be in real estate. He used to always tell me to buy lots while I was young.

Al

[SGCOS]

Nice font. I can head to the cafeteria and still read it.

[John Beresford Tipton]

"all taught by Assistant Professor of Sociology James Moorhead"

Who wouldn't be in favor of More-head?

[Calpernia]

This class has been taught at Montclair State University since I attended.

My sorority sister took this class. I couldn't believe the books and assignments! http://www.ablongman.com/html/mcanultytour/

[The Great RJ]

Why was it when I went to college the course offerings were such fun things as calculus, organic chemistry, literature and religion.

[Coleus]

Anything goes in these classes....What gets me is that Catholic Colleges now accept this sort of garbage.

[Coleus]

Why was it when I went to college the course offerings were such fun things as calculus, organic chemistry, literature and religion.>>>

Ha, do you actually think the liberals want college kids to think and to use their brains? The demise of western civilization is heading our way. Watch out, it's already here.

[Coleus]

Freep Catholic College Ping.

[MHGinTN]

Aren't you just so clever ... been here since April of this year and already you're sullying up the place.

[John Beresford Tipton]

I won't respond, it just too easy.

[txzman]

Hey its a Catholic Institution. The Bible ain't important.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads up!

[Hobsonphile]

Leftism on Campus ping!

If you would like to be added to the Leftism on Campus ping list, please
notify me via FReep-mail.

Regards...

[SuziQ]

What gets me is that Catholic Colleges now accept this sort of garbage.

Somewhere along the way, the folks in charge at these colleges became very sensitive to the charge that they were not 'open to new ideas', so they began to let this sort of garbage in. God forbid they should stand their ground, be faithful to Church teachings, and not allow this infestation!

We looking closely at Ave Maria University for 2006, when they open the new campus near Naples FL. Our daughter will be going off to college then, and she's intrigued by the idea of a town and college being built together, and by the college being willing to stay faithful to the Church.

[LurkedLongEnough]

This is shocking since it is happening at a so-called Catholic institution. However, I believe that Catholic teaching accepts homosexuals as long as they don't indulge their carnal desires. I often wonder what the point is, but that's another discussion.

The local public school system here in CT covers this stuff prior to college anyway.

Sex ed in Conn. public schools is mandatory but parents can opt their kids into alternative watered-down classes if they wish. The curriculums are available to parents in advance.

In middle school sex ed, the kids tend to deride the "discover your sexuality" content, but get a strong message that it is wrong to tease or bully kids for any reason. (Like that is really gonna work - ha.) Learning decent behavior in a social context is not a bad thing.

By the time they reach high school, though, the students recognize the "rainbow safe zones" as what they are: classrooms of untenured teachers or social studies department heads trying to show how politically correct they are.

To stretch the school administrators' tolerance levels, however, students paste NRA and pro-Bush stickers next to the rainbow safe zone stickers. All stickers remain. Fair enough?

[Aquinasfan]

Hey its a Catholic Institution. The Bible ain't important.

The Catholic Church wrote, preserved and canonized the Bible. Where'd your canon come from? Martin Luther? The Jewish council of Jamnia?

Besides, Modernism infected non-Catholic Christian colleges long before it polluted Catholic colleges, which are now largely nominally Catholic anyway.

[Aquinasfan]

By the time they reach high school, though, the students recognize the "rainbow safe zones" as what they are: classrooms of untenured teachers or social studies department heads trying to show how politically correct they are.

I leaving your kids in this institution isn't too high a price to pay for free babysitting.

[Labyrinthos]

Hey its a Catholic Institution. The Bible ain't important.

Please explain yourself.