2008 Woodie Awards
Too much protection leaves less room for safe decisions
Kristen Caretta
Issue date: 2/5/05 Section: Viewpoint
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Assumption College has much to offer its students. There are constant activities and events going on in and around campus. The experiences gained here will benefit us all for the rest of our lives. With so much provided for and available to us, what more could we possibly ask for?
The one thing that is not supplied for students of Assumption College is somewhat controversial due to the College's religious affiliation. No birth control of any form is provided anywhere on campus. Being a Catholic school, Assumption must uphold the morals and ideals of the Catholic Church. Premarital sex is unacceptable for Catholics, and the idea of birth control is forbidden even when participating in sex within a marriage. It is no surprise that Assumption does not offer condoms or other forms of birth control, but what is surprising is the lack of education that is provided for its students surrounding the issue.
Almost everyone on campus understands the basic concept of sex and has a general realization of the dangers that are involved when participating in such an activity. Not all students that are part of the college community are Catholic, however, and these people may not see premarital sex as a problem. Other religions view sex and birth control differently and students of these religions may make different decisions when faced with the issue of sex.
The fact of the matter is if people are going to have sex, then they are going to do it no matter what. By providing condoms the college would not be promoting sex, but offering a way for these students to be responsible in their choices.
One must also take into consideration the new level of freedom that incoming freshmen receive at school. No longer living with their parents, these students experiment and get a sense of who they are and what they want to become. They are living on their own without having someone constantly hovering over them telling them what to do and how to behave. Assumption has recently started an online alcohol education course that freshmen must complete. This provides them with enough information so that they will be able to make more informed decisions when exposed to alcohol. We all know that students are going to drink anyway, regardless of the new alcohol education course. Illegal, underage drinking will continue to go on despite what Assumption tries to do to prevent it. There is a way around everything, and if people really want to drink, they will find a way to do it. Even though Assumption is against underage drinking, they are still providing information to students regarding their personal alcohol choices.
The one thing that is not supplied for students of Assumption College is somewhat controversial due to the College's religious affiliation. No birth control of any form is provided anywhere on campus. Being a Catholic school, Assumption must uphold the morals and ideals of the Catholic Church. Premarital sex is unacceptable for Catholics, and the idea of birth control is forbidden even when participating in sex within a marriage. It is no surprise that Assumption does not offer condoms or other forms of birth control, but what is surprising is the lack of education that is provided for its students surrounding the issue.
Almost everyone on campus understands the basic concept of sex and has a general realization of the dangers that are involved when participating in such an activity. Not all students that are part of the college community are Catholic, however, and these people may not see premarital sex as a problem. Other religions view sex and birth control differently and students of these religions may make different decisions when faced with the issue of sex.
The fact of the matter is if people are going to have sex, then they are going to do it no matter what. By providing condoms the college would not be promoting sex, but offering a way for these students to be responsible in their choices.
One must also take into consideration the new level of freedom that incoming freshmen receive at school. No longer living with their parents, these students experiment and get a sense of who they are and what they want to become. They are living on their own without having someone constantly hovering over them telling them what to do and how to behave. Assumption has recently started an online alcohol education course that freshmen must complete. This provides them with enough information so that they will be able to make more informed decisions when exposed to alcohol. We all know that students are going to drink anyway, regardless of the new alcohol education course. Illegal, underage drinking will continue to go on despite what Assumption tries to do to prevent it. There is a way around everything, and if people really want to drink, they will find a way to do it. Even though Assumption is against underage drinking, they are still providing information to students regarding their personal alcohol choices.