The South Carolina legislature appears to be dropping the proposed budget cuts intended to punish the University of South Carolina Upstate and the College of Charleston for assigning LGBT-themed reading materials.
The two books in question, Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic, by Alison Bechdel and Out Loud: The Best of Rainbow Radio, which told the history of South Carolina's first gay and lesbian radio show, were targeted by lawmakers who opposed the mention of LGBT themes in a public university.
South Carolina newspaper, The State, has more:
A House budget proposal to cut $70,000 from two South Carolina universities for assigning gay-themed books to freshmen might not get much of a reception in the Senate.
The debate could come up in Senate Finance Committee, which will work this week to complete its budget plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1. But the subcommittee that writes the budget for public colleges didn't include the cuts in its recommendations. That panel's chairman, Senate President Pro Tem John Courson, made clear he believes the Legislature shouldn't micromanage universities' curriculum.
"I think that should be up to the presidents of the institution and the board of trustees which the General Assembly elects," said Courson, R-Columbia.