Northwestern's President Condemns Sex-Toy Demonstration

CHICAGO — Northwestern University found itself at the center of a furor Thursday after a sexuality professor known for racy lessons allowed students to stay after a lecture to witness a couple using a mechanized sex toy.

The school's president promised an investigation after news of the demonstration appeared in local media reports and set off a blizzard of comments on social networking sites.

"I am troubled and disappointed by what occurred," President Morton Schapiro said. "I feel it represented extremely poor judgment on the part of our faculty member."

The demonstration took place on Feb. 21 after professor John Michael Bailey's human sexuality class, which focused that day on kinky sex. Bailey, a popular professor who teachers what some students say is one of the university's most popular classes, often ends sessions with an invitation for students to stay after regularly scheduled lectures to hear from sex therapists, swingers, transgender women and others.

According to students and one of the participants, Bailey had invited a guest lecturer named Ken Melvoin-Berg, the co-owner of a group called Weird Chicago Tours, to discuss bondage and sexual fetishes.

Also there to answer questions were a man named Jim Marcus and his fiancee, Faith Kroll, who, according to student Justin Smith, was introduced as an exhibitionist "turned on by the thought of sex acts in the nude in front of large groups of people."

Students were warned repeatedly that they were about to witness explicit material and that they could leave. Smith and another student, 22-year-old Nicholas Wilson, said most of the students left to get to their other classes. Those who stayed saw a movie, and the couple, concerned that the film contained misinformation, asked if they could give a live demonstration with a mechanical device.

"The main guy (Melvoin-Berg) said, `Are you ready for a sex show?'" said Smith. He said the professor repeated to students that if they were uncomfortable, they should leave. Most of the roughly 100 students didn't go anywhere.

"If you stay, don't complain later," Smith said Bailey told the class.

Within seconds, Kroll had taken off all of her clothes except a bra, climbed on stage and lay down on a towel as Marcus operated the motorized device.

Students said they could not see very much because the couple was fairly far back on the stage and Marcus was in the way.

But, said Wilson, "A fair number of people tried to get a better view."

Marcus, an acquaintance of Melvoin-Berg, said he was surprised that the demonstration had created such a stir, though he added that the outcry illustrates a larger point.

"People say it's not necessary to demonstrate sex acts," he said. "That's one of the things that's kept research in some of these areas hobbled, there is a squeamishness about this conversation."

Human sexuality classes often include the showing of graphic and explicit films, and are offered at several universities. Bailey did not respond to an e-mail message asking him to comment, and his voice mail box at the school was full Thursday afternoon.

But in a message that was posted by the university's newspaper, The Daily Northwestern, he defended his decision to allow the demonstration, saying it was relevant to the day's discussion of kinky sex.

"The demonstration, which included a woman who enjoyed providing a sexually explicit demonstration using a machine, surely counts as kinky, and hence is relevant," he wrote.

But he also seemed to recognize that he might have gotten himself into some trouble.

He wrote that as he watched the demonstration, "I was worried that there could be repercussions that would threaten the valuable speaker series that I have built over the years."

Schapiro, NU's president, said that many members of the Northwestern community were disturbed by the incident. And university officials said they had received many emails from upset parents and alumni.

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

Comments

[guamote]

02:52 PM on 03/09/2011

Why not have all human bodily functions demonstrated? Would there be similar support if in biology, while teaching on the colon, there was a demonstration of defecating on stage? Why not have something more practical for college, a demonstration of the day after a night of binge drinking? As any good Svengali knows, humans, especially ones with raging hormones, are all too happy to forgo any sense of decency and sensibility when it comes to indulging in anything sexual. This so smacks of degrading women as only sex objects. The young woman was only there to titillate NOT to instruct. Sure, she was consenting, but only to feed her desire for exhibition, Her motive was to simply get off. And what does it say of her fiancé that he would so readily expose his future wife to such a scene? If it really was about instruction, then why not have an older woman in her 50's? This mentality is exactly what women's groups have been fighting to free women. Where is their outcry? The woman’s group at NW Univ should march down the hall to give Prof. Bailey an earful. Schools of higher learning are suppose to be molding generations that will benefit and contribution to society. Promoting that people should indulge in their every whim of lust and thought is irresponsible, impractical and does not benefit society nor the individual. Will Prof. Bailey also balance out the lesson showing the consequences of engaging in such promiscuous behavior? Probably not.

[andriote]

05:23 PM on 03/07/2011

I'm a Northwestern alum. I'll concede the live sex toy demonstration showed questionable judgment simply because of the campus location. That said, however, so many of the comments I read about the story reveal far more about the uneasy views toward sexuality of those making them than about the class demonstration. The one question this inquiring mind still wants to know is this: What, exactly, was this mechanical device and how does it work?!!

[Theosaurus]

11:45 AM on 03/07/2011

I'm taking an anatomy class right now, and the cadaver doesn't have any pants on...oh, my poor sensibilities are in tatters!! :(

[guamote]

04:36 PM on 03/09/2011

You can't be serious. People may argue that in medical schools there are demonstrations of operations, gyno-exams, babies born, naked bodies, etc., but these demonstrations are ALL for clinical reasons and for benefiting the health and well-being of the future patients. This is always done with respect and dignity for the human body and the individual. And don't bother to argue the point of art students who paint the naked body. This too is a reflection of the beauty of the human form. Again, respect and dignity. The demo in Prof. Bailey's class was pure and simply for voyerurism only. And so what did the class learn from that? That a woman could organism with a saw? Imagine all the outcroppings of the moronic boys that want to "test" that out on their girlfriends? Any first year medical student knows that through various forms of stimluation most human bodies react. So, again, what did the lesson teach? Leave it someone young and inexperienced to not see that the girl, whether she was aware of it or not, was used disrepectfully and degradingly. Oh, she maybe all for sexual exploration, I'm sure, and she was a willing partcipant, but she's also young. Where's her dignity in herself? She like you seem to be immature in mind and thought. I don't suspect she'll be wanting to put that on her resume. It will be interesting, now that her name is out there, whether she will change her mind.

[statementOfIncensed]

01:43 PM on 03/06/2011

Academic Freedom is precious- and this guy just blew a fundamentalist dog whistle. This guy's an Agent Provacateur.

[AcademicFreedom]

01:02 PM on 03/06/2011

I'm curious about the towel she laid down - is it for sale on eBay?

There were most like a few students in the class who have curiosities beyond just that which was demonstrated --- next week Kroll and a K9 for your educational investigations. Supported by the Northwestern professors for academic freedom!

[saaba]

06:50 PM on 03/05/2011

Isn't this what the frat parties are about? If your professor is just going to show you kinky sex acts during class, then what's left to explore? No wonder we hear stories of men and teenage boys becoming more sexually aggressive toward their wives and girlfriends and young women believing that if they are not promiscuous the opposite sex won't be interested. Maybe this is what these students should be researching...all the easy access to internet and cable porn and its affects on human sexuality. I hear its not good.

[Konrad Klean]

10:58 AM on 03/05/2011

I would like to remind many of you who are defending this lesson that the school is funded in part with federal money and tax payer dollars which feed into that larger pool. I for one am not against viewing of real sex acts, however, this particular lesson for which the "speaker" was paid was in extremely poor taste.

I'm not a huge fan of college professors getting their kicks from subsidized pornography and then mounting straw man arguments to the extent of "free speech" or "higher academia". Frankly this makes academia look like a joke in a decade which promises to be one of the most critical in regards to the caliber of graduates this country needs.

[Ivyleaguequaker]

06:19 PM on 03/05/2011

I'll bet those observing were mainly h*rny college students, it's part of the dumbing down of America, this type of class won't get anyone a job except in the porn industry.

[Konrad Klean]

06:36 PM on 03/05/2011

Well, if we manage to bring about a few generations whose only concern in life is getting their tingling private parts appeased we can also destroy the family unit even further. Nuclear families just want too much money with which to pay for their kids' college educations.

[cheeseleg]

08:12 PM on 03/05/2011

Here it comes. "federal money, federal money!"

beat the drum with your stupidity, I'm sure it will make you feel better, professor.

[Konrad Klean]

10:59 PM on 03/05/2011

I for one prefer that my taxes go to art programs in urban areas which historically have been getting cut at a disproportionate rate when compared to those in wealthier suburban areas. Or to after school programs for kids...

Then there is the infrastructure, there is medicare for people who worked their hands and backs to the bone etc.

These sorts of stunts give unnecessary ammo to bible-belt fundamentalists and you know it. Then again, given your general lack of eloquence, maybe you don't.

[HenryT2]

10:02 PM on 03/04/2011

seriously? adults (those over 18) attending a class on sexuality being told they should leave if they didn't want to watch, and this is a problem how? if the professor broke some law about live sexual demonstrations or something, he would absolutely be wrong. if this is legal, then this shouldn't even be a story. the university should tell parents, etc. who complained that your child obviously cannot think or make decisions for himself and should probably stay at home and be homeschooled.

[cosmiCataclysm]

09:19 PM on 03/04/2011

Go ahead and take classes like this and tell me how your future job search works out.

[grod805]

10:10 PM on 03/04/2011

This is Northwestern, not ITT Tech. If your only goal in college is to get a job, then you don't belong in college.

[Michael Morrison]

12:17 AM on 03/05/2011

grod805:

Don't worry...Plenty of students can get jobs doing this sort of stuff!

[Konrad Klean]

10:59 AM on 03/05/2011

The level of logic displayed by your comment is just mind blowing. I think a few of my neurons just short-circuited.

[TessieR]

12:00 AM on 03/06/2011

The bowling class I took at my state university didn't do anything for my future job either. The same with a large number of other classes I took under those "gen ed" requirements. I throughly LOVED my cultural anthropology class, however it didn't add any skill or knowledge for what I get paid to do. Not all the classes you take in college will have to do with "your future job."

[cosmiCataclysm]

04:51 PM on 03/07/2011

If you can't make the distinction between the F-saw live sex show and a cultural anthropology class, I really can't even have a discussion with you...

[Cori Lee Bolan]

09:17 PM on 03/04/2011

The professor and couple claims that this was a relevant demonstration, because it is a psychology class and the students may need to understand clients someday that enjoy this type of thing.
Does that mean they need to watch child pornography or have sex with a minor to understand pedophiles that they may treat someday?!

[cheeseleg]

08:14 PM on 03/05/2011

That's actually not a bad idea

[cheeseleg]

08:15 PM on 03/05/2011

Do pedophiles not deserve psychological help? It could prevent child abuse you know.

[Michael Morrison]

09:04 PM on 03/04/2011

Will the final exam be an oral?

[Michael Morrison]

08:59 PM on 03/04/2011

College level class on how to use a vibrator.

Yeah, everybody there was an adult, but this was a total and complete waste of time and money.

[cheeseleg]

08:16 PM on 03/05/2011

opinion. and and uninformed one.

[RobotPigOverlord]

08:56 PM on 03/04/2011

Even someone with liberal leanings like myself still disagrees with the idea that a professor should allow people to have sex on a stage in front of students. Some people say that critics of what happened are being overly puritanical, but if that is the case, then WHERE DO WE DRAW THE LINE? If something like a sex performance by people with their own exhibitionist motives (clearly the performer's motives for doing the show were not in the spirit of educating children, but were about acting out a fantasy) is not seen as crossing the line , then what is considered going too far? This is when liberalism going to far (this is coming from a liberal, college student). This is not about Puritan values, this is just about parents not paying 30-50K a year for their children to watch a teacher sanctioned live sexual performance. This is honestly just kind of gross. The students who stayed were not staying to educate themselves, but were staying because they were enjoying the shock value of this whole ridiculous debacle.

[AcademicFreedom]

07:32 PM on 03/04/2011

I'm writing to Northwestern tonight and offering to be a guest speaker. I think they need some scat discussions - when I do my speaking I'm bringing the "two girls one cup" honeys. They are consenting, it is a cultural phenomenon (Kermit the Frog and George Clooney have both seen their famous video) and it is relevant to newly-minted adults (maybe some 18yr old hottie with a daddy complex will invite me back to the dorm). Heck with "party like a rock star"; I'mon "party like a prof". I'm seeing the benjamins from my NEA grant now. Maybe Bernie will sit with me at lunch too.

[cheeseleg]

08:19 PM on 03/05/2011

not a bad idea, but your post itself is kind of like scat, and I have a feeling you don't really know what you're talking about anyway.

[Justice76]

07:01 PM on 03/04/2011

Parents entrust their children and teens to teachers because they believe teachers will conduct themselves with dignity and respect. And yes, I speak of parents and children because some college students are only 17 years old (I was), and many are still being financially supported by their parents.

No Parent or school administrator would ever expect a professor to bring two people into a classroom to perform a live sex act in front of students. And even if he warned the students about the nature of the presentation, he, as the authority figure should have known better. Regardless of what students might do on their own time during spring-break or at frat parties, teachers are supposed to set higher standards. As far as I'm concerned, his actions were completely inappropriate.