Legislators in Georgia are mounting attacks against professors and educators at Georgia State University for offering courses that deal with issues such as queer theory and oral sex. State Representatives Charlice Byrd and Calvin Hill, both Republicans, are teaming with the Christian Coalition to put pressure on fellow lawmakers and the Board of Regents (which oversees the state’s colleges and universities) to eliminate such courses and dismiss the professors who specialize in these topics.
A report by CNN highlights the particular attack on a professor who specializes in the historical significance of oral sex and a graduate level course on Queer Theory. The conservative legislators base their argument on their disapproval of spending state dollars on such controversial topics, particularly because the state’s coffers are currently short $2.2 billion.
Faculty members at Georgia State University whose expertise includes oral sex and male prostitution were called to testify at hearings held by the Georgia House Higher Education Committee to consider the ban; little acknowledgement was paid to their cutting edge research and wide range of expertise. The importance of a well-rounded education that reflects a worldly and extensive knowledge base is at risk for the sake of conservative claims that such programs of study should be cut in light of the economic downturn. Read more about the controversy in Athens, Georgia’s local newspaper.
