Having Killed Science, Kansas Lawmakers Now Go After Sex

[Az]

[Guynemer]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

But what makes this so different that there has to be a legislative brouhaha over it?

You don't think other states have tried things like this. They've usually been unsuccessful, so it hasn't made the news. There are obviously some people who don't like what has been called 'obscene' to be taught in a state university.

Oh, I know things go on like this in other states. Not to long ago, Michigan legislators got their collective panties in a twist over a course here at U-M, titled "How To Be Gay."

Now, obviously, this was not a course in how to be gay; it was just a clever name for a course exploring homosexuality in American society. But may the merciful heavens protect the brave soul who tries to use logic to counter the inane ramblings and ranting of selfimportant politicians.


Frankly, these are exactly the kinds of people who ought to have taken a human sexuality course when they were in college. Or, at the very least, an anatomy course--they could have learned how to pull those big sticks out of their asses.

[Ben Kenobi]

Normally the physical sciences get one chunk of money, the social sciences another chunk, the arts a third and so on. The size of the chunk normally represents the number of studens enrolled and what image the university wants to present.

cybergnu:

Actually, there are a large number of chemistry students. This argument is more valid for the Physics majors since there are not that many.

Part of the problem is that the university is strapped for funds all around, and has to make some choices on where to cut back. Rather than cut a course out entirely, they just nibble at the edges.

The problem with nibbling at the Chem labs is that fewer students will come to UBC if they feel their coursework is useless.

But if what you say is true, would that not lower the reputation of the university, to only fund those courses where most students are enrolled? Clearly, there has to be some concern for what the university wants to accomplish, not just the laws of supply and demand.

Shouldn't the entire arts & letters department go before they touch a social science course?

That brings up the old joke:

What's the difference between Philosophy and Math? To do math, all you need is a chalkboard and a wastepaper basket.

To do philosophy, you don't even need the wastepaper basket.

These courses are cheap, and quite popular.
Social science courses are more expensive, and in the eyes of many academics, less valuable than history or english.

[Six Thousand Year Old Man]

The decision as to what courses are offered by a particular university should be made by the university's governing body, not by some politician who's just looking to score some points with her more narrow minded constituents.

[CyberGnu]

Guynemer :

Hmm, we have a gay guy in the lab, and he really needs this course. He so... non-gay. I don't think I've seen him in bottomless chaps even once...

[CyberGnu]

Six Thousand Year Old Man: True, but you are forgetting one thing: Your user name is invalid in Kansas, since that means you were born before Creation...

But apart from that, right on

[Six Thousand Year Old Man]

Originally posted by CyberGnu
Six Thousand Year Old Man: True, but you are forgetting one thing: Your user name is invalid in Kansas, since that means you were born before Creation...

It sure feels that way, sometimes

Funny how many people say this sort of course isn't needed in order to have a good sex life, when one considers the number of people who, when polled, say they don't have a good sex life.

It may not be 'needed', but it might help some people

[Guynemer]

Originally posted by CyberGnu
Guynemer :

Hmm, we have a gay guy in the lab, and he really needs this course. He so... non-gay. I don't think I've seen him in bottomless chaps even once...

[CyberGnu]

Obiwan:

Actually, there are a large number of chemistry students. This argument is more valid for the Physics majors since there are not that many.

Part of the problem is that the university is strapped for funds all around, and has to make some choices on where to cut back. Rather than cut a course out entirely, they just nibble at the edges.

That's how uni's work, unfortunately... Question is, if they cut back, did they do it ONLY for the physical sciences? My guess is that all the departments got less money, and it was up to the Science department to figure out whee to cut...

The problem with nibbling at the Chem labs is that fewer students will come to UBC if they feel their coursework is useless.

Well, that is true in all disciplines, right?

But if what you say is true, would that not lower the reputation of the university, to only fund those courses where most students are enrolled? Clearly, there has to be some concern for what the university wants to accomplish, not just the laws of supply and demand.

Oh, defiently, and I think I mentioned that in my first post, didn't I? However, most uni's don't have a clear view on what they do want to accomplish...

What's the difference between Philosophy and Math? To do math, all you need is a chalkboard and a wastepaper basket.

To do philosophy, you don't even need the wastepaper basket.

*sssssh, agathon will hear you*

These courses are cheap, and quite popular.
Social science courses are more expensive, and in the eyes of many academics, less valuable than history or english.

Well, people tend to be biased towards their own field, right?

[Lorizael]

Why, ignoring religius values or a moral system born out of religous values, is sexually explicit content obscene?

I say ignore religion because this is a state university, in which religion plays no part at all.

[Berzerker]

Guynemer - Try looking up where Kansas ranks in education before laughing too hard.

Gate -

Tell me about it, Berz. Next thing you know, they'll insist on teaching that Earth isn't a sphere in Kansas! Which it isn't, BTW.

You don't even understand the evolution/creation issue here, so displaying your ignorance while chastising Kansans is par for the course you've chosen.

Elsewhere ... someone in the thread asked earlier about who had taken a sexuality course in college, and I did. I got a "B" in the course, so draw your own conclusions from that.

Since a "B" was probably close to the average score in your class, I'll conclude you are average.

[Traianvs]

Originally posted by Lincoln
Public school graduates often cannot even read or write properly yet they insist on teaching this garbage.

Oh - My - God

how can you graduate when you don't know how to write and read properly

[Traianvs]

I'll post my completely uninteresting and useless opinion on this too

Learning this in courses related to Biology would be fine, for example the diseases and how it functions etc. Other than that I don't think it necessary, I'm sure most people in college know how a **** looks like, and I'm pretty sure most people know how **** works.

I mean, if you haven't ever been on a porn site before (which is not easy to avoid nowadays, especially when searching for a crack or serial ) you've surely seen it on tv before

I don't really see the point of the class, and guess what i'm not a conservative guy!

[Lorizael]

Because it's not a very good system. Almost all can read and write, however, just not very well.

[Six Thousand Year Old Man]

Originally posted by Trajanus


Oh - My - God

how can you graduate when you don't know how to write and read properly

But what if you can get 13 sacks a season, like Dexter Manley?

Priorities, man. Priorities.