Naomi Epps Best, a devout Christian and graduate student at Santa Clara University, is pursuing a degree in family and marriage counseling.
Her recent experience in a mandatory course has compelled her to pen an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, highlighting the inappropriate nature of the curriculum she encountered.
In a conversation with BlazeTV's Allie Beth Stuckey on "Relatable," Best shared her dismay over the content of a course titled "Human Sexuality," a requisite for marriage and family therapists in California.
According to The Blaze, Best was taken aback by the syllabus when she enrolled in the summer of 2024, discovering that it not only presented but actively promoted a sexual ethic she found troubling. "I immediately discovered sadomasochistic erotica," she recounted. Sadomasochism, for context, involves deriving pleasure from inflicting or receiving pain. Best was required to read an explicit story detailing such practices, which was justified as an "inoculation to sexual content that we might one day come across."
The course's demands escalated when Best was placed in a group of four, including a male peer, and instructed to discuss personal experiences with masturbation. "I said no," Best firmly told Stuckey. The final exam further required students to compose an 8-to-10-page sexual autobiography, probing into intimate details such as the onset of masturbation, significant sexual milestones, and future erotic aspirations.
Best refused to comply, seeking an accommodation that was ultimately denied. The department chair defended the requirement as a longstanding practice since the 1980s, despite Best's assertion that it violated the ethical codes of the American Psychological Association.
Moreover, Best encountered a pornographic illustration guide that she described as overtly antagonistic toward the Christian faith. The guide's author openly admitted it was crafted "as revenge for my Catholic upbringing," featuring crude depictions of various sexual acts. Best expressed her belief that being compelled to engage with such material was likely illegal, stating, "I think that it is probably illegal to force me to consume pornography."
The content, Best confirmed, was "purposefully titillating," a sentiment echoed by Stuckey, who remarked, "I mean, this is what pornography does it rewires your brain to desire certain things." Stuckey further criticized the educators, suggesting they were imposing their personal fetishes on students. "The teachers just sound like perverts, and theyre forcing their students to play along in their fetishes," she commented.
This incident raises significant questions about the boundaries of academic freedom and the ethical responsibilities of educational institutions. Best's experience underscores a broader debate about the role of explicit content in educational settings, particularly when it conflicts with students' personal beliefs and values.
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