Controversy Can Be Created

"Of course, anything can become controversial simply by virtue of somebody objecting. I wouldn't encourage anyone to do this-heaven forbid-but hypothetically, someone could loudly object to discussions of capitalism, traditional gender roles, law enforcement or even the Trump administration, thereby making them "controversial" and out of bounds. After all, objections can come from the left as well as the right. A few well-orchestrated rounds of public objection could highlight the absurdity of the law pretty quickly."

"Taken literally, the rule quickly becomes self-defeating. For example, I can't imagine teaching a history class about the Civil War without mentioning race. (Student: "What was the war about?" Prof: "States' rights." Student: "Rights to do what?" Prof: "Um ...") Even naming the thing is controversial: When my brother took a history class at William and Mary in the early '90s, his professor insisted on referring to the Civil War as "the War of Northern Aggression.""

The University of Texas is banning "controversial topics." The ban could cover many subjects, from the admission of Missouri, the poll tax, and the Electoral College to the germ theory of infection and even the shape of the Earth. Any subject can be rendered controversial if someone objects loudly, enabling strategic complaints to place topics off-limits. The rule becomes self-defeating because many legitimate classes require addressing contentious elements, as with the Civil War and race. The policy includes a "germane" caveat, creating frequent judgment calls about relevance and permissible tangents in class.

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