Posted on 01/31/2002 10:06:05 AM PST by GeneralHavoc
Catholic Students Forbidden To Attend March for Life
1/30/02
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
VILLANOVA, PA- Can professors at a Catholic university punish pro-life students for attending the annual March for Life? A new debate is brewing at Villanova University.
Students faced opposition and punishments from their professors at the Catholic university for trying to attend the annual March for Life in Washington D.C., forcing some to miss the January 22nd event.
"[My professor] told me I shouldn't go, it would be an unexcused absence, and I would get a zero for the day," said a female nursing major, who's professor was "dead set" against her going and warned of a punishment report if she missed class. Fearing further repercussions from their professors, the students interviewed did not want to be identified. "As a Catholic school we should be supporting the March for Life... I was a little naive. I assumed she would say 'go for it.'"
"[My professor] told me I should concentrate more on my academics and less on my extracurricular activities," said a male freshman also wishing to remain anonymous, whose Core Humanities professor talked him out of attending the event. "She really thought I shouldn't go."
"Unlike any teacher that we had before, we were punished with a paper," a female student told the Villanova Times student newspaper.
"Two of my closest friends...were unable to come because a professor did not consider the March for Life to be an excused absence," said a male Sophomore.
[M]y hallmate was unable to attend because her professor would not let her get out of lab," stated another student. "Around five students told me they couldn't get out of class."
According to the Catalog of Undergraduate Studies and Office of Academic Affairs, professors can punish students with extra work and refuse to excuse absences for those attending the March.
"For students beyond the first year, attendance policies are determined by the instructors of the various courses," states the Catalog. "Enforcement of such attendance policies lies with those instructors."
"Strict policies on class attendance that don't allow room for important experiences like the March for Life aren't indicative of a Catholic educational mission that allows for the development of the 'whole person'," said Patrick Reilly, President of the Cardinal Newman Society, an organization seeking to renew religious identity at Catholic Universities. "One might expect a Catholic institution to be especially flexible when it comes to major events that express core Catholic beliefs."
"The students I interviewed were shocked that Catholic university professors would punish them for attending a national pro-life event," said Villanova Times founder Chris Lilik. "It is interesting that pro-abortion NOW legal defense fund board member Patricia Williams's speech would be sponsored by Villanova's administration the day after Catholic University professors prevent pro-lifers from attending the March for Life."
"One would expect professors teaching at an institution purporting to defend Catholic virtues to endorse the March for Life," stated Bryan J. Auchterlonie, University Journalism Program Director at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. "Evidently, Villanova professors believe students should pursue extra-curricular activities that conform to professors' dictates."
"I'm disappointed that some professors are the primary reason why students decide not to come, because they will not excuse the absence," concluded Villanovans for Life vice-president Colleen O'Boyle.
Contact Information:
Patrick Reilly, President, Cardinal Newman Society (703) 536-9585 Preilly@cardinalnewmansociety.org Patrick Reilly
Bryan Auchterlonie Intercollegiate Studies Institute (302) 652-4600 ex 113 bauchter@isi.org Bryan Auchterlonie
Chris Lilik, Villanova Times founder, 610-581-5514, 570-498-8731(cell) chrislilik@hotmail.com Chris Lilik
Colleen O'Boyle, Vice President of Villanovans for Life (610) 581-2896 colleen.oboyle@villanova.edu Colleen O'Boyle
Villanova University President Father Dobbin (610) 519-4511 edobbin@email.villanova.edu Father Dobbin
If they catch you, tell them that you were rested and feeling better.
No it's not.
It is sad.
Go anyway.
"[My professor] told me I shouldn't go, it would be an unexcused absence, and I would get a zero for the day," said a female nursing major, who's professor was "dead set" against her going and warned of a punishment report if she missed class. Fearing further repercussions from their professors, the students interviewed did not want to be identified. "As a Catholic school we should be supporting the March for Life... I was a little naive. I assumed she would say 'go for it.'"
Take the zero and make it up later. Give your professor the finger and go. It would be great if the prof showed up to an empty classroom. Are your principles worth less than a grade?
I'm not a big fan of kids (college kids included) cutting class for ANY reason.
What's to stop a group from traipsing off to an Earth Day march?
Kids are at school to go to school, not demonstrate, no matter how admirable the cause.
I'm with you here! Think of it this way: If I were a student who decided not to participate and attended class instead...would I be given extra credit?
The point is the students knew the rules... If they felt that strongly about going to the march, then they could have made the decision to go and suffer the consequenses. Unless the entire University was shut down for a day so those wishing to attend could go to the march; the students have no beef...and the instructors have no need to apologize.
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