New buzz in education..

[Gob]

A US university president has said he is "disturbed" that a psychology professor allowed a demonstration of a motorised sex toy in a lecture hall.

Morton Schapiro of Northwestern University called the decision to allow a naked woman to demonstrate use of the device last month "poor judgement".

About 100 students observed the proceedings following a lecture session for a class on human sexuality.

Attendance was voluntary and students had been warned what to expect.

On 21 February, psychology professor Michael Bailey held a lecture on sexual arousal, with a focus on certain aspects of female physiology, according to a statement he released on Wednesday.

Prof Bailey said another guest lecturer, Ken Melvoin-Berg, had proposed the demonstration and he could not think of a legitimate reason why the students should not have that opportunity in the name of inquiry.

"Student feedback for this event was uniformly positive," Prof Bailey said.

The demonstrator, Faith Kroll, told the Chicago Tribune she enjoyed the attention.

"I was more than happy to," she said. "We had fun with it. I'm an exhibitionist."

On Thursday, Mr Schapiro said in a statement it was in the nature of a university to teach and research controversial topics.

But he said the demonstration "represented extremely poor judgment on the part of our faculty member" and said he was "troubled and disappointed".

"I simply do not believe this was appropriate, necessary or in keeping with Northwestern University's academic mission," he said.

He promised an investigation and to clarify "what constitutes appropriate pedagogy".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12642898

"motorised sex toy"?

Why can't the BBC call it by its proper name? A fanny hammer.

[Rick]

motorized, gives ME the impression it has wheels...

[Scooter]

I was thinking "what's all the fuss about, does the guy think the students had never seen a vibrator before" , until I read this more detailed account of what occurred:

The topic of the day was bondage, swinging and other fetishes. Then, after the class was officially dismissed, students were told they could stick around for a demonstration of sex toys and the female orgasm.

About 100 students – and apparently one of their mothers who was sitting in on the class that day – were in the auditorium when an exhibitionist couple offered to perform.

Yep, if I were showing my mom around campus the first idea that would enter my head would be to bring her to my human sexuality class.

Most stayed to watch as the woman undressed on stage and her male partner brought her to orgasm with a device that looked like a machine-powered saw with a phallic object instead of a blade.

"It is probably something I will remember for the rest of my life," said student Justin Smith, 21.

No shit, Sherlock.

Once the demonstration began, Smith said, "there was a lot of covering of the mouth like 'Oh my gosh.' It was pretty quiet.... I didn't really see people take affront, but they were engaged with the experience."

"Engaged", were they? I would have been checking some pulses if they hadn't taken notice.

Psychology professor John Michael Bailey said he initially hesitated, but decided to allow the public sex act.

"My hesitation concerned the likelihood that many people would find this inappropriate," he wrote in a statement.

You figured that one out all by yourself? Glad to see the Ph.D wasn't wasted.

"My decision to say 'yes' reflected my inability to come up with a legitimate reason why students should not be able to watch such a demonstration."

Students should be able to see whatever they choose, be they consenting adults. That's what sex clubs and bachelor parties are for.

[Long Run]

Most stayed to watch as the woman undressed on stage and her male partner brought her to orgasm with a device that looked like a machine-powered saw with a phallic object instead of a blade.

Some might ask if she was faking; perhaps in the next seminar . . .

[loCAtek]

Really? Females orgasm from sexual stimulation; what an education! What's next: eating makes you poop?

[Sue U]

"Student feedback for this event was uniformly positive," Prof Bailey said.

But seriously, sexual exhibitionism in the lecture hall? Isn't that what dorms are for?

[Gob]

We bow to your superior experience Sue.

[SisterMaryFellatio]

Had it have been another Primate I wonder what the outcome would have been .....

Can't see anything wrong with it personally. If they had all been there tossing off over the couple then it would have been a different thing - then thats classed as swingers/orgy/frat parties/dorms etc etc

[thestoat]

Damn. The Americans get all the best schools. Mine had a grumpy old git who'd throw a black board duster (aka heavy piece of wood) at you if you said anything out of turn.

[dgs49]

While I haven't done it recently, it is an interesting exercise to calculate the "cost" of a university lecture to the students (or whoever is paying the bill).

Using gross numbers, let's say that the class in question is a 3-credit class, meaning that there is a total of 45 class hours of "instruction" in that course per semester. This class represented, let's say, one-fifth of a given student's tuition (say, $25,000) for that semester, so one could calculate that EACH STUDENT pays about $110 to sit in a one-hour-long lecture in that class.

In this case, there were, say, 100 students enrolled and attending. Therefore, the students and their parents and you, the Federal taxpayer (through some sort of Federal grant), collectively paid $11,000.00 for this "lecture."

Feel better now?

And we say that healthcare is absurdly expensive.

Too bad Illinois jettisoned the death penalty a few years ago.

[Big RR]

Imagine what they would have paid if they had to hand the professor singles every few seconds throughout the "lecture."

[dales]

And we say that healthcare is absurdly expensive.

The article didn't state this, but the exhibition was held after class so technically this was after hours of instruction. No funds were squandered, no harm, no foul.

[loCAtek]

Well, the best excuse for eduction was in doing this right. (I did work at Home Depot, ya know , we hear everything to do with power tools )

The cautionary tale 'round these parts was of a lesbian couple who didn't 'do it right'. Seems they attached the "stand-in" directly over the SAWZALL blade without removing it. Let us just say the cries, weren't ones of climatic pleasure, per se, and more like calls to 911.

[MajGenl.Meade]

Damn. The Americans get all the best schools. Mine had a grumpy old git who'd throw a black board duster (aka heavy piece of wood) at you if you said anything out of turn.

Shorely not Bill "Spitball" Lister?

[loCAtek]

Following the links, it does appear the demonstration was not supposed to originally include live sex. That was more of a spontaneous decision by the 'guest lecturers'. So, how could the students have been informed or prepared? 'Graphic content', does not necessarily mean explicit acts.

I watch a lot of forensic documentaries on television, and while they can depict or describe, violence and death as part of an educational format; they do not cross the line by actually showing it. I wouldn't go to an 'R' rated movie, and expect to see pornography.

[Big RR]

Expect? No, but we can hope, can't we?