Penna Dexter

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy De Vos announced she’ll roll back an Obama-era guidance document that weakened due process rights of those accused of sexual assault on college campuses. Under this guidance, school, not law enforcement authorities, are tasked with determining an accused student’s guilt and punishment. Colleges and universities refusing to set up tribunals for this purpose have been threatened with loss of federal funding. Under this system, accused students who are innocent often face biased, unfair decisions with life-destroying consequences because they have been prevented from doing things like reviewing the evidence against them or securing an attorney. Sexual assault is awful and colleges should take measures to prevent it. Every possible protection should be afforded female students. This does not include declaring a “campus rape crisis” or telling women starting college that they are entering some sort of crime zone. Writer and lawyer Jennifer Braceras has some commonsense advice for young women heading off to college this fall. In a column entitled Straight Talk for College Women, Ms. Braceras includes some pointers for navigating the college hook-up culture that young women won’t receive at freshman orientation. First, she writes, “Do not get drunk and go home with someone you do not know.” Stay sober and you’ll “avoid dangerous and compromising situations.” Secondly, “There’s safety in numbers.” Don’t leave your friends to go off with a guy. Third, the hook-up culture says young people will have casual sex. But you shouldn’t. Even if you have no moral or religions compunctions about it, it’s just not smart. Next, go on dates. Ms. Braceras says it’s ok to meet a guy at a social activity, but don’t always be so available. Instead, “hold out for a real date. You deserve it.” And then, when you are dating someone, don’t leave a lot of ambiguity about your boundaries. Wise advice and let me add some for the Christian college girl. Your moral boundaries will be challenged. Find friends, girls and guys, who will help you uphold them.