Despite efforts by organizers to clear up misconceptions about the religious component of Dance Marathon’s 2003 beneficiary, some dancers say they still are confused about the mission of the organization that will benefit from their fund-raising.
DM was criticized in the fall for selecting the Midtown Educational Foundation as its primary beneficiary because of the foundation’s close association with Opus Dei, a group that strongly promotes radical Catholic values.
To calm dancers uncomfortable with raising money for a faith-based charity, DM established the Chicago Urban Youth Scholarship Fund, which will directly benefit two students of MEF’s choosing. But some aspects of the foundation’s tutoring program — in which DM volunteers are encouraged to participate — have again raised concerns that the religious issue has not been wiped out.
As part of the program, low-income students participate in weekly classes with topics such as business, sports and career advancement. However, the program involves character-development talks, which worry some dancers given Opus Dei’s radical stance. The organization preaches that failing to follow its calling will lead to eternal damnation, according to the Opus Dei Awareness Network.
“I didn’t even know about that actually, the character part,” said Jessica Fong, DM’s special-events coordinator. “Exactly what the Midtown program does, I don’t know.”
Some dancers said DM hasn’t sufficiently explained the scholarship program’s requirements — a special concern in light of Fall Quarter’s religious controversy.
“I’m not too informed, actually,” said Jacob Byl, a dancer and Weinberg junior. “All I know is what I’ve gotten from them. I don’t know enough to make an opinion.”
A Dec. 6 e-mail sent out to the DM listserv in the form of a sample solicitation letter added to the confusion. It claimed the scholarship fund would help “inner-city minority children attend college.” It will in fact help two low-income children attend better-quality high schools.
Students receiving the scholarship money could choose to use it to attend a parochial school, again tying DM’s beneficiary to religion. Students also could decide to use the money to attend a magnet school or out-of-district public school.
DM Executive co-Chairwoman Emily Wessel said the scholarship is not comparable to a voucher program.
“Comparing the scholarship fund to vouchers is the same as comparing apples and oranges,” said Wessel, a Weinberg senior. “The people who have the means to change the public school system and aren’t are instituting vouchers. This is philanthropic.”
Wessel also said she isn’t concerned about the character-development aspect of the tutoring program.
“I’ve been to the center,” she said. “(The character talks) are a way to reinforce in students how to be a good person, how to be kind, philanthropic and how to help others attain what you have.”
Despite the continuing confusion around the primary beneficiary, Wessel said DM has not deviated from its longtime mission.
“We’ve never been a political organization, and we’ll never be one,” she said.
