Update: Grove City College to allow gay porn star student to graduate

Good resolution....

Would have been a circus as a case, but he had every right to file it.

It's the Hammer of JUSTICE,
It's the Bell of FREEDOM,
It's the Song about LOVE between,
my Brothers and my Sisters
...All over this Land.

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by: Orion45 @ Sun May 10, 2009 at 20:14:48 PM CDT

Reply to Good Resolution

In reply to Orion45.  Yes, any such case (probably tried in Federal District Court in Pittsburgh) would have been a circus.  The GCC administration played this smart from their angle.
1.  Preparing for the case would have been a major time distraction for the GCC administration.
2.  Testifying in court and being cross-examined would have been a major distraction for GCC administrators.
3.  The resultant publicity, although helpful in some respects, would have also had a major downside.  Smart for GCC admin to avoid the publicity.

Some questions I would like for current GCC students (although I realize this is exam week), GCC alumni, parents of current GCC students, or GCC admin to answer:
1.  Is the viewing of pornography by GCC students permitted?
2.  What discipline or counseling (if any) was imposed on the student who watched the pornography and turned Gechter in to the GCC admin?
3. Was a GCC computer or non-GCC computer used?
4.  If the actor/student had been "discovered" one month after graduation would the diploma have been revoked?
5.  Since the money used to pay for tuition at GCC was "tainted" (with Mr. Gechter as the intermediary) should the money not be returned?
6.  Is the sending of hate e-mails a Christian virtue that is taught at GCC?  
7.  If sending hate e-mails is not a Christian virtue what discipline (or at least counselling) have the senders had to receive?  And it is possible to learn the identities of the senders.
8.  What discipline (or at least counseling) will be imposed on the student throwing food?  And even if only one student thew the food at least four or five had to see him/her?  Their silence (if they are remaining silent) speaks volumes.

On the surface it appears to be much hyprocisy and questionable Christian behavior by the GCC admin and students.  Items 6, 7, and 8 would appear to place a blemish on the diploma of any GCC student enrolled during April/May 2000.

I realize not too many GCC admin, students, parents, or alumni probably read this web site, but I would like an answer from any connected with GCC.

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by: John_in_Pennsylvania @ Tue May 12, 2009 at 17:05:35 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

correction to date

On the previous post the date should be April/May 2009 and not April/May 2000.  Sorry about the faux pas; still awaiting a response from anyone connected with GCC (past or present).

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by: John_in_Pennsylvania @ Tue May 12, 2009 at 20:33:30 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

A "Christian code of conduct"

is what they say it is.  There's nothing objective about it in the least.  Similarly "acting in good faith."

Cynic, n.  A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be.  
-Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary

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by: QScribe @ Sun May 10, 2009 at 21:14:19 PM CDT

Fair Resolution

I really is charitable of them to let him transfer in credits and get a degree since they certain had the right to expel him.  Signing up for a college that has a honor code that includes no sex is not a wise choice if you are planning to appear in porn.  Although he wasn't thinking of that career path when he enrolled, he has been doing it long enough that he could have transferred and not lost the credits when he first started.  The college should get props for working this out.

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by: tony @ Sun May 10, 2009 at 21:18:40 PM CDT

Nngh

I would say no school has any right making honor code rules that extend off school grounds, especially not at the college level where everyone involved are legal adults.

I mean, my non-insane university had rules about drinking, but they had no legal recourse to arrest over-21 students who got plastered off campus, same thing about sex. They may have a claim in kicking him out of dorms if he had sex on their property, but full expulsion over legal off-campus activity is really one of those illegal rules that has only stayed on the books because they haven't tried to enforce it yet.

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by: Cerberus @ Mon May 11, 2009 at 08:16:40 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Grove City accepts no federal funds

so it is exempt from a number of protections.

But really, attending one of the most notoroiusly conservative Christian colleges in the US and deciding to make porn?

Not easy to defend that

I tell you Chica that no greater abomination exists than women denying their spirit of sisterhood and instead becoming the oppressor. -Rebeca, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

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by: MauraHennessey @ Mon May 11, 2009 at 09:37:43 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

?

A video was discovered by another student who shared it with the general student body.

If being in a porn flick violates the college's 'Christian' code, then why wouldn't "shar[ing]" it with other students be?  

Sending it to the dean?  I'd get that, but what would be the difference between "shar[ing]" that flick and watching porn elsewhere - which, again, I would have to assume violates the college's 'Christian' code.  

>^..^<

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by: KatRose @ Sun May 10, 2009 at 22:18:42 PM CDT

Another "university" to stay away from is...

Brigham Young University in Provo.

Chad Hardy, creator of the "Men on a Mission" calendar, was told last September that his degree had been denied. This after he completed the coursework and walked in graduation. Why? Because he was excommunicated over the calendar. In order for him to get his degree, he has to become a member of the Mormon church again, basically meaning he has to grovel and beg for membership again.

This is flat-out insane. As you might expect, Chad's engaged legal counsel to liberate his degree.

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by: Mirele @ Sun May 10, 2009 at 22:24:10 PM CDT

Meanwhile, guess what Mormon graduated not only from BYU, but also from its law school?

Judge Jay Bybee (he of Shrub/Cheney's torture enablement memo)...................  

Don't hold your breath waiting for Bybee to be excommunicated from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints!

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by: oddjob @ Mon May 11, 2009 at 03:08:12 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

How many are victims?

I wonder how many of the young people that go to these kinds of "schools" don't really have much choice. They have parents who simply won't pay for an education at anything other than some backwards fundie pseudo-university where they end up with a useless degree in Creation Science or something equally stupid. Without scholarships to real institutions they may have no choice but agree to their parents stupidity and get whatever education they can or at least get out of the small towns they grew up in. How many are living a lie? My guess is quite a few.  

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by: xeric @ Sun May 10, 2009 at 23:03:25 PM CDT

They can always get work at the Creation Musuem ...

 because somebody has got to keep those animatronic Dinosaurs and Flintstone people in proper working order. ;-)

... where Same Gender Love rules.

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by: TaylorSiluwe @ Mon May 11, 2009 at 06:39:11 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

I was thinking about this story last night

and suddenly found myself wondering--how much could this kid's degree in microbiology from a fundamentalist Christian college possibly be worth?  I think he's lucky to have an acting gig in New York, because I suspect his career prospects anywhere outside the Creation Museum must be seriously limited.  And when he goes to finish those two final courses at a real university, he may find himself experiencing major culture shock.  "What?!  You mean the world is more than 6,000 years old?!  Who knew!"

Poor kid.  I wish him well.

Cynic, n.  A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be.  
-Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary

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by: QScribe @ Mon May 11, 2009 at 08:45:21 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Flashdance

Tyler Frost's high school in Ohio could take a cue from GCC.  Reasonable and considerate compromise is usually good.  Going to arch conservative schools is generally unwise.
So, let's see: Ohio HS says no dance with girl.  Pennsylvania College says no slam bam with other guys.  California wingnuts say show your beauty pageant tits for the hetero cause.  Maybe this is just a regional thing.

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by: Passionforprog @ Mon May 11, 2009 at 10:59:59 AM CDT

I don't get it...

He voluntarily went to a conservative Christian college, he knew of their rules, he willingly made porn for money breaking their rules.  I don't understand why they should give him anything.  He is the one who broke all the rules.  At some point this guy should have said to himself, either I need to find another line of employment like the 90% of other students or find another college.

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by: SecretScoundrel @ Mon May 11, 2009 at 14:30:34 PM CDT

Gee, you're a real human being, aren't you?

Rules may not be made to be broken, but bad rules are.  GCC may not like the way Gechtner earned his tuition money, but the fact is, it's not any of their business.  No college I know of has rules about approved ways for students to earn their tuition (and those rules would almost certainly be illegal).  The next queer kid to butt heads with GCC's administration will likely have an easier time of it because John Gechtner stood his ground.  

In case you've never noticed, people breaking unjust rules is one of the ways progress happens.  Dan Choi knew the rules, too, when he came out in violation of DADT.  Should we just tell him "Touch luck!" too?


Cynic, n.  A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be.  
-Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary

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by: QScribe @ Mon May 11, 2009 at 16:47:09 PM CDT

*Should have been a response to SecretScoundrel

Cynic, n.  A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be.  
-Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary

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by: QScribe @ Mon May 11, 2009 at 16:48:11 PM CDT

[ Parent ]