An Iowa State University professor’s syllabus was “corrected” for violating the school’s First Amendment policy after it initially banned students from making any statements against Black Lives Matter, gay marriage, trans rights or abortion.
The original syllabus, obtained by Campus Reform, shows English professor Chloe Clark informing students in her incoming English 250 class that they were to refrain from writing papers or completing projects on “any topic that takes at its base that one side doesn’t deserve the same basic human rights as you do (ie: no arguments against gay marriage, abortion, Black Lives Matter, etc).”
Clark also told her class that “[A]ny instances of othering that you participate in intentionally (racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, sorophobia, transphobia, classism, mocking of mental health issues, body shaming, etc) in class are grounds for dismissal from the classroom.”
After the syllabus made its way online thanks to the Young Americas Foundation, the school said they’ve reviewed it and found it inconsistent with the school’s free speech policy.
“The syllabus statement as written was inconsistent with the university’s standards and its commitment to the First Amendment rights of students,” university spokeswoman Angie Hunt told Campus Reform. “After reviewing the issue with the faculty member, the syllabus has been corrected to ensure it is consistent with university policy.”
The school added that “Moreover, the faculty member is being provided additional information regarding the First Amendment policies of the University.”