OLEAN, N.Y. — Next Wednesday, Olean High School was originally slated to host renowned public speaker Jason Evert of the Chastity Project, a national faith-based organization stressing sexual purity. Archbishop Walsh Academy high-schoolers were also invited to the event, which was organized in part by the Office of Lifelong Faith Formation of the Diocese of Buffalo.
After rethinking the religious impact, Olean City School District administrators decided against hosting. But the “Love or Lust” talk — billed as a secular program safe for public schools — could go on that morning as planned at a different venue through the Greater Olean Association of Churches’ efforts.
Walsh President Tom Manko said his school is a likely choice, though that wasn’t confirmed as of Thursday evening.
“The Oct. 8 presentation will likely be held here at Archbishop Walsh, and students from other private and public (high schools) are invited to attend,” Manko wrote in an email to a reporter. “Should attendance exceed our building’s capacity, then an alternative site will be obtained such as St. Bonaventure University.”
After first advocating for Evert’s discussion, Olean High Principal Barb Lias made the final call to withdraw. Asked why, she referenced the First Amendment. In just over five minutes, Lias cited the “separation of church and state” 11 times, but she and Superintendent Dr. Colleen Taggerty are still urging interested students with parental permission to attend and hear the positive message.
WhileEvert does both faith-based and secular programs for private and public schools, Lias said she eventually grew unsure the talk would refrain from religious dialogue.
“You’d like to be able to say you can guarantee something, but when you can’t really guarantee it, then you have to sit and think about it a long time,” Lias said. “Even though I spoke directly with the man, I couldn’t guarantee that he wouldn’t. I couldn’t take that chance.”
Lias said a handful of district staffers, parents and guardians voiced concern over a chastity program at the public school.
OCSD reached out to Chastity Project for reassurance, Taggerty said.
“But in order for us to see that, we had to buy a video,” the superintendent added. “At that point, maybe this wasn’t what we should be doing.”
Evert coming to Olean High was first discussed in the summer, Taggerty said, noting it was finally confirmed several weeks ago.
Chastity Project speakers travel around the country with their sometimes-religious messages. According to the program’s official website, Evert will speak in the Philippines in late November.
Even though the district declined, Taggerty said she stands behind the message for teenagers.
“He does …. come from a Christian perspective that abstinence is truly the way we need to move forward to prevent unwanted pregnancies, teenage pregnancies, and that you need to be thinking about saving yourself for the person you love, as opposed to lusting,” Taggerty said. “The messages, I think, are good. We just couldn’t see where he truly separated the religious aspect from it.”
OCSD has hosted religious speakers with a nonreligious message before, Taggerty said. If school officials see the presentation and find it safe for public school, they may invite Chastity Project back, she added.
Until then, Walsh is happy to open its doors, Manko said. But the private Catholic school was awaiting bus arrangements to ship permitted Olean High teens next Wednesday.
Eighth-graders will be included in the discussion, he noted.
“In a day and age when there is much peer and societal pressure to forsake one’s moral compass,” Manko said, “it is refreshing to hear that people continue to profess that chastity is appropriate and correct.”
Marianne Mogon, communications director for St. Mary of the Angels Roman Catholic Church, also touted the Chastity Project message. She said St. Mary’s is still working with the Greater Olean Association of Churches to finalize details for Evert’s visit.
At 7:30 p.m. Monday, St. Mary’s will host a streaming Chastity Project presentation for parents and adults titled “Safeguarding Ourselves from the Evils of Pornography,” which will be staged at St. Gregory the Great in Buffalo. Teens earlier that day will be invited to a faith-based prelude to Evert’s “Love or Lust” talk at 5:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s.
“We just thought this was an important message for the youth to hear,” Mogon said. “I think anything is a good thing that helps the youth understand their sexuality. As a mother and a grandmother, I think it’s important.”
