No More "Controversial" Learning in Georgia?

[Trublu]

Republicans in Georgia have announced a campaign to try and ban "racy" college courses like queer theory, and oust the professors that teach them.

"This is not considered higher education," [State Rep. Charlice] Byrd said. "If legislators are going to dole out the dollars, we should have a say-so in where they go."

Source

I cannot believe, in this day and age, people are still arguing about this.

An institution has the right to decide what courses it offers and who they hire, not the legislators. If they want to pull funding, they can try, but all that is going to happen is that the school will hike tuition, and then they'll have a crowd of angry students and parents on their hands. Then what?

[edwardjh]

No doubt fuelled by homophobia.

Although I believe in state intervention in many situations (incl. education), I don't think they have the right to completely ban a subject from being taught, only regulate it; this is provided that it isn't on the basis of a bigoted agenda*

* There is an exception to this: where a "course" is so flagrantly contrary to the cause of peace and equality or it serves as a tool for brainwashing rather than enlightenment, then I believe the state does have a right to strike down a syllabus.

My slightly more authoritarian views confuzzles some but *shrugs* I just believe that freedom and democracy can go too far.

In any case, in this instance, Georgia was out of line.