Rand Paul: Money for universities with ‘one set of speech’ and ‘Dystopian Visions’
Kentucky Senator Rand Paul has been making some news when it comes to higher education, one is linked to recent comments influenced by the horrible events at UC Berkeley and another is due to a class he is scheduled to teach.
Senator Rand Paul Photo/United States Senate
Berkeley funding
On the Laura Ingraham Radio Show Thursday, the host asked him about the controversy surrounding the Ann Coulter appearance and the disregard for free speech at Berkeley.
“Well you know the one of the Bill of Rights that the liberals used to be good on was on the First Amendment. They weren’t much good on the Second Amendment, they’re average, some good on the Fourth Amendment but at least they were always pretty good on the First Amendment.
“Now they’ve given up on the First Amendment and that’s sort of pitiful that they’re no longer for free speech.
“They’re completely intolerant and they call any speech they don’t like “hate speech”.
“I think they put themselves in a ridiculous position and I think that even some liberals are embarrassed by it now.”
Ingraham went on to ask if President Trump should “impound” the funds that go to Berkeley and similar ones.
“I don’t think that impounding funds is probably going to pass muster, but I think that Congress and the people who appropriate the money, we should think about whether we should be sending money to universities that only have one set of speech,” Dr Paul noted.
LISTEN to the interview HERE
Dystopian Visions
Rand Paul is scheduled to teach a class titled “Dystopian Visions” this Fall semester at George Washington University (GWU), which based on popular demand, registration for the class has already been closed.
While some students were disappointed not to be able to register for the class because it filled up too fast, some in the GWU faculty are concerned about Paul’s qualifications and get this–at least one professor is concerned that his political ideology could carry over into the classroom!? Hmmmm…now that’s rich.
According to the student newspaper, the GW Hatchet, Elisabeth Anker, an associate professor of American studies and political science, said bringing celebrities to teach courses could hurt the University’s educational reputation and the academic experience of students.
“I think teaching something on dystopian history or dystopian vision and dystopian novels seems to be a thinly disguised political ideology course, masquerading as intellectual inquiry,” she said.
In addition, the GW English department released a statement on their blog concerned that Paul’s course would be misconstrued as an English course:
We would like to clarify any erroneous information you may have encountered in the media regarding the Fall 2017 course to be taught by Senator Rand Paul in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences (CCAS).
Sen. Paul’s course is not an English course offering. The course does not count toward the English major, nor is the course material grounded in any particular academic discipline.
We in the Department of English have a number of experienced, award-winning faculty who teach courses about dystopia (or its antecedent utopia) within the discipline of literary study. We warmly welcome any students who are interested in literature, English majors or non-majors alike, to enroll in our courses and explore what we have to offer.
Related:
- Rand Paul testifies on FATCA: ‘Abusive law’, ‘Correct this injustice and repeal’
- Rand Paul introduces the Stop Arming Terrorists Act, companion to Tulsi Gabbard’s bill
- Rand Paul speaks out against calls for increased military presence in Syria
- Rand Paul reintroduces the Life at Conception Act
- Rand Paul takes socialist Bernie Sanders to the woodshed in Price hearing
