Ames, Iowa — An Iowa State University professor is taking heat after issuing a syllabus in which she threatens students about opposing Black Lives Matter and abortion.
An ISU professor allegedly issued the syllabus with a label “GIANT WARNING,” saying that portion of the syllabus banned “instances of othering,” defined as “sexism, ableism, homophobia,” and a variety of other things. It reportedly said, “The same goes for any papers/projects: you cannot choose 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). I take this seriously,” it added.
Young America’s Foundation, a conservative youth organization, released a screenshot of the syllabus on Monday, claiming that it came from a professor named Chloe Clark. According to Iowa State’s website, the course, English 250, is for “written, oral, visual, and electronic composition.” The course is required as part of students’ “Communication Proficiency” requirement for graduation.
In a statement to Fox News, the university described the syllabus as “inconsistent” with its commitment to the First Amendment. ISU’s response read in part, “Iowa State is firmly committed to protecting the First Amendment rights of its students, faculty, and staff. With respect to student expression in the classroom, including the completion of assignments, the university does not take disciplinary action against students based on the content or viewpoints expressed in their speech.”
