No Porn for Students at University of Maryland

Allow students to watch a XXX porn movie in the student union or risk budget cuts by the state. That was the dilemna facing University of Maryland this week after they’d elected to screen “Pirates II: Stagnetti’s Revenge” in its student union. Students across the country have been attending screenings of the big-budget porn flick on campuses, but when Maryland State Senator Andy Harris heard about the busty event, he made moves to have it stopped, by threatening to suspend state funding (about $424 million).

“I am pleased to know that the university did the right thing and canceled this movie,” said Harris. “Students can’t light up a cigarette in the student union but can watch a hardcore XXX porn film. Occasional viewing of porn is more dangerous than occasionally lighting up a cigarette.”

No surprise that the film and the recent move at U of M are stirring debate, talks of the First Amendment, and whether or not colleges should be an advertising medium for such films. Following the movie at the university, a representative from Planned Parenthood was scheduled to discuss safe sex. In December, the movie was shown at UCLA, after which students held a Q&A with the filmmakers and grilled them about porn’s role in the exploitation of women.

It’s been said the film company’s marketing plan for the movie, one of the largest porn film budgets ever, was to screen it for free on campuses, no doubt stirring controversy and getting a lot of free chatter about it. It seems to have worked.

posted on April 3rd, 2009
by Brandi, Senior Editor
Tags: film, movie, pornography, UCLA, university of maryland
Posted in Campus Life, Financial Aid | 8 Comments »