She actually wasn't a student yet. She met with me the prior semester, as she had heard about my course. The issues went beyond my course, as there are other courses with similar content. It wasn't just the sexual and violent content. It was also content that discussed LGBTQ issues, without any explicit content portrayed in the films. In the end, she came to the realization that the program and perhaps the field was not for her. This course has been taught for several decades. This was the one time there was an issue. I only had one other student for whom the content was very problematic: she wrote in a paper that homosexuality is an abomination. The films are very important (e.g., Trembling Before G-D) - sometimes a student will say, "I never knew someone can be both Jewish and gay." While the films have provocative material, they help facilitate a dialogue that wouldn't otherwise happen at such a deep level. I do get the dilemma we face and that you raise.
Best,
Graciela
Sent from my iPad
> On Jan 9, 2014, at 2:08 PM, "Nicholas DiFonzo" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> Was there no other way that the goals of your program could have been met without requiring students to watch sexual and violent content in films, something which she felt was opposed to her central values? Although unintended, I wonder if what was communicated to both the student and the class was that sensitivity to some cultural differences, but not others, eis valued.
>
> Nicholas DiFonzo, Ph.D.
> Professor of Psychology
> Department of Psychology
> 18 Lomb Memorial Drive
> Room 1-2363
> Rochester Institute of Technology
> Rochester, NY 14623 USA
> Phone: 585-475-2907
> Skype: nicholas.difonzo
> Faculty Website*Personal Website
> Rumor Psychology: Social & Organizational Approaches
> The Watercooler Effect: A Psychologist Explores the Extraordinary Power of Rumors
> Rumor-Gossip-Research Google Group
>
> From: Team-Based Learning [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Graciela Elizalde-Utnick
> Sent: Thursday, January 09, 2014 12:02 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Student refuses to meet with females
>
> I once had a student who refused to watch R-rated films in my multicultural counseling class, a graduate school counseling class. She was a young, single, Orthodox Jewish girl who said her Rabbi told her that she shouldn't watch such films. It is our philosophy that school counselors have to work with all children. Potentially a student might come out to her in a session. I was not going to provide an alternative assignment. I met with her and her Rabbi along with a colleague. It was clear that it was more of the student's issue and not so much religious doctrine. The student who was not married did not want to be influenced by sexual and/or violent content of the films. The films are an integral part of the course and provide wonderful case material for student activities. The student chose to come to our program, but there were other colleges she could choose. While we were sympathetic, the basic mission of our program was to be able to work with all students and the films helped jumpstart some difficult dialogues. It was clear from the meeting that the Rabbi did not forbid the films, and it was the student. Ultimately, she decided to go to a different program. We all have rights, but there are times that we need to hold on to our academic freedom. There are options for where students can enroll. I hope this helps. This was a delicate matter for us because the course itself focuses on being sensitive to cultural differences, etc. But in the end, there was a line that we wouldn't cross. Our students are required to have some transformative learning activities. While we do not look to change individuals' values and beliefs, we expect them to advocate for and work with all children and their families.
> Best,
> Graciela
> Brooklyn College, City University of New York
>
> Graciela Elizalde-Utnick, Ph.D.
>
> On Jan 9, 2014, at 11:40 AM, "Anderson, Nadia [ARCH]" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> This is a really interesting article having just finished training on Title IX and other discrimination/harrassment policies.
>
> On one hand the student's refusal to work with female students potentially creates a hostile environment for those students; on the other hand, does forcing participation violate the student's right to religious freedom? I would assume that when a student enrolls in a coeducational college or university, they are inherently agreeing to work with students of all genders however I don't know if this is a binding/legal policy.
>
> Thanks for posting!
> Nadia
>
> Nadia M. Anderson
> Assistant Professor, Architecture
> Co-Director, ISU Community Design Lab
> Iowa State University
> 515-294-0339
> [log in to unmask]
>
> From: Jim Sibley <[log in to unmask]>
> Reply-To: Jim Sibley <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Thursday, January 9, 2014 9:10 AM
> To: "[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: Student refuses to meet with females
>
> Hi
>
> There needs to be an institution response to this
>
> We had something similar when turn it in came to town....and a few students refused to play along
>
> Our institutional response was that is your right...BUT we use turn it in....if you want a degree from our institution....you need to as well....or go find another school
>
> Jim
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
> On Jan 9, 2014, at 5:37 AM, Lion Gardiner <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> Good Morning, Colleagues,
>
> As you may have noted in this morning's Inside Higher Ed, the Globe and Mail reports that a male student protested having to meet with a learning group containing females in a course he was taking.
>
> http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/education/religious-accommodation-or-accessory-to-sexism-york-students-case-stirs-debate/article16246401/
>
> Suppose you had such a student, male or female, who was a regular, full-time on-campus student, in your TBL course, but refused to meet with peers of the other gender. How would you handle this? How would your institution react to this potentially legally fraught situation? What are the implications for a TBL course as a whole of granting this kind of request? Would the situation be any different for objections to meeting with gays? transsexual students? members of other ethnicities?
>
> Lion Gardiner
>
> --
> Lion F. Gardiner, Ph.D.
> Professor Emeritus, Zoology
> Rutgers University
> 212.226.2749
> [log in to unmask]
> Higher Education Consultation
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