THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, February 1, 1995 TAG: 9502010448
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PHILIP WALZER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 85 lines
A Tidewater Community College instructor has told students in her human sexuality class that they can fulfill the course requirements by visiting an adult bookstore or a gay bar or watching an X-rated film.
The instructor, Suzette Hughes Caton, handed out a syllabus Friday telling students that they must complete ``five outside readings,'' aside from the textbook. But if they don't want to do the readings, Hughes wrote, they can substitute one or all of the following:
``Speak to a member of the clergy concerning the church's philosophy regarding sexuality issues.''
``Watch an X-rated movie.''
``Visit a family-planning center or an STD (sexually transmitted disease) clinic.''
``Visit an adult bookstore.''
``Go to a gay bar - compare to a `straight' bar.''
Kristine Cabral, a 24-year-old student from Virginia Beach, has dropped the class in disgust. ``I feel there's a very unbalanced approach to sexual issues - many of the issues are being discussed in a biased fashion,'' she said. ``I really feel there's an agenda, and it's inappropriate.
``What is going to an adult store going to do to increase my sexual responsibility?'' she said. ``And especially because she claims to be an advocate for women's issues, how can she in good conscience suggest that we watch pornography when it's been known to exploit women?''
Caton, a part-time instructor, said Cabral was the first of 1,500 students she has had in sex classes in 10 years to complain about the syllabus. ``I think the majority of my students feel the entire course is a valuable experience,'' Caton said.
She said she stresses that ``they are not required to do any of these things'' and that they must be 18 to enter a gay bar or adult bookstore.
Caton suggests visiting the bookstore or watching an X-rated film because ``I want them to get a sense of how they feel about pornography - should it be available, where do we need to draw the line? That's one of the purposes of the whole course - to expand their knowledge of human sexuality. . . .
``We are an educational institution, and my philosophy is to provide information to students, and not to impose a particular value system on anyone.''
Hughes is director of community education at the Hillcrest Clinic in Norfolk, the only clinic performing abortions in South Hampton Roads. Cabral said that she has picketed the clinic, but that she was open to Hughes' teaching the course until she saw the syllabus.
Margaret A. Miller oversees academics in Virginia colleges as associate director of the State Council of Higher Education. She said the syllabus ``sounds perfectly legitimate,'' especially since students are not required to watch the movie or go to the bookstore or gay bar.
Miller said universities may treat sex the same way they do religion: It's OK to ask students to study it, as long as you don't require them to perform it.
``Certainly, the kinds of phenomena she is asking students to study are within the purview of the course,'' Miller said. ``I can't imagine any student has the right to complain.''
Cabral is a liberal studies student who had intended to take the course to fulfill her graduation requirement in the health area. In addition to the syllabus, she objected to the textbook, ``Becoming a Sexual Person,'' which she bought before deciding to drop the class.
The book includes sketches of couples in sexual positions and of individuals masturbating, as well as a list of activities preferred by members of sadomasochistic clubs. But Cabral says it gives short shrift to the notion of ``abstinence,'' which is not listed in the glossary.
``It conflicts with Judeo-Christian values,'' she said. ``I don't feel any parent could look at this textbook and feel it's appropriate for any age - kindergarten through graduate school.''
Caton said that, too, was the first complaint she'd heard about the text. ``By discussing certain issues, it allows them to hear other viewpoints. It certainly isn't to change anyone's values. That isn't my purpose at all.''
Cabral complained to Maxine Singleton, the division chairwoman for social sciences at the Virginia Beach campus, before dropping the class. Singleton said she would not ask Caton to change the course.
``She has been teaching the course for 10 years; I think Mrs. Caton presents the material as an education tool, and she does it well,'' Singleton said. ``Our objective is to get material to students as objectively as possible and not to cover any particular side of an issue.'' by CNB