Open speaker policy only option for SMC
Observer Editorial Board
The free and unrestricted exchange of ideas is crucial to establishing an educational environment that cherishes academic freedom. The process of developing mature viewpoints on social issues requires the critical examination of students' beliefs.
An educational system that does not challenge students to question their moral, intellectual and spiritual knowledge is not educating students in the true sense of academic freedom.
In its current Mission Statement, Saint Mary's claims to cherish academic freedom, stating, "The College creates an open forum in which students freely and critically study the rich heritage of the Catholic tradition, raising the questions necessary to develop a mature religious life."
The recent decision to cancel "The Vagina Monologues," a critically-acclaimed play discussing women's sexuality, is a blatant act of censorship that does not allow students to critically examine their belief systems. Saint Mary's should be the perfect venue for a discussion of women's sexuality regardless of its Catholic orientation. In response to claims that the play goes against Catholic teaching, however, the administration pulled the plug on the production.
Restricting a production such as "The Vagina Monologues" that challenges traditional perspectives of women's sexuality will not make these perspectives go away. It will only prevent students from exploring them.
By restricting students' ability to challenge and explore traditional ideas, Saint Mary's is cheapening its students' education — and sending the message that it does not truly believe students should be challenging any ideas at all.
The administration's decision to cave to political pressure and cancel "The Vagina Monologues" causes concern that this action will be repeated in other College venues. If the College does encourage students to "raise the questions necessary to develop a mature religious life," it would be wise to adopt an open-speaker policy on campus to ensure productions like "The Vagina Monologues" will not be censored. The question is not if "The Vagina Monologues" goes against Catholic teaching, but if the administration is taking the necessary efforts to allow students to pursue the critical questioning essential to academic freedom.
President Marilou Eldred has been a vocal proponent of the role women's colleges can play in addressing women's issues since taking the presidency four years ago. By attending last year's Monologues, Eldred confirmed this commitment to the community. Eldred's move to cancel the "Monologues" has made it clear that her commitment is to the alumnae and Parents Council, who opposed the play's return to campus, not the women on campus.
It is time for Eldred to reaffirm her commitment to the students on campus and trust them to maturely evaluate differing points of view.
All Viewpoint Stories for Friday, January 26, 2001
