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McGrath maintains firm in stance about co-ed dorms

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat "It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that it's wrong for the state to be paying for students to have a place to party and have sex." Rep. Jean McGrath R-Glendale

In the wake of the reaction to her recent controversial comments, Rep. Jean McGrath, R-Glendale, has not softened in her belief that co-ed dormitories are immoral, endorsing premarital sex and underage drinking and that some women's studies courses need to undergo a name change.

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that it's wrong for the state to be paying for students to have a place to party and have sex," McGrath said Friday.

The driving force behind McGrath's positions is her belief that state funding should be kept to a minimum. The thought of money being spent "supporting immoral behavior," is her biggest concern, she said.

McGrath said she has received a "ton of e-mails" from University of Arizona students responding negatively to her comments at the Arizona Board of Regents meeting on Sept. 23.

"They were very nasty, with a lot of name calling and vulgarity," McGrath said. "They were all just very immature, and it certainly doesn't further their point."

McGrath said the responses that she has received from non-students has been positive and appreciative to her for speaking her mind. The majority of student responses came from UA students, McGrath said.

"It's really the adult view of the world versus the student view of the world that has created the problem," she said.

While McGrath would not reveal the names of the authors of the e-mails, she said they called her a "puppet head for right-wing propaganda, a rambling idiot," and said she is effectively destroying our society.

"These students need to learn to disagree without being disagreeable," McGrath said. "Some students don't understand what I was saying. I don't want the Women's Studies (department) to be canceled. I just want the course material to match the course title."

Besides co-ed residence halls and course content, McGrath said she is also concerned with tuition hikes that regents are now considering.

One trend McGrath said is disturbing, is universities spending money on questionable purchases.

"I don't think that universities - such as ASU purchasing the Mercado - need to be purchasing property in downtown Phoenix for their graduate students. I think that the focus should be on the undergrad departments and keeping tuition down for them," McGrath said.

The colleges of education at UA and Arizona State University are another aspect McGrath said she would like to change.

"These schools are producing teachers who can't teach. We need to get the Education department away from the research atmospheres that are a part of the U of A and ASU."

She said teachers are not being taught properly so the money spent on the classes and teachers is going to waste.

Wasted money is McGrath's No. 1 enemy and she does not hesitate to attack the producers of this waste, even if that makes her unpopular with many.

"I am willing to take a lot of flack for my beliefs, and I think in the end I will be rewarded by being re-elected," McGrath said.