Issues@Hand

AFA initiatives, Christian activism, news briefs

April 2020 – Thomas K. Hubbard, a professor at University of Texas at Austin (UT) is challenging his students by advocating for lowered age of consent laws. Recently, Hubbard emailed The College Fix claiming the age of consent should be lowered to 14.

Hubbard’s ideology comes from his studies of Ancient Greek culture. Hubbard argues that “pederasty intimacy” can be a “social mechanism” for fatherless boys, as it was in ancient societies. He said, “We should consider moving in the direction of what most European states do, which is to maintain an age of consent of 14 or 15 with special protection against prostitution of those under 18.”

Subsequently, Hubbard’s home has been the site of student protests, and his picture and story appeared on a student group page known as “Fire the Abusers.” One student claimed Hubbard had them “write a paper over lowering the age of consent and lowering the punishment for sexually assaulting a child under the age of six.”

UT spokesperson Shilpa Bakre told The College Fix via email that “the study of controversial and even offensive ideas is protected by academic freedom and the First Amendment – as is the right of others to strongly disagree with and draw attention to those ideas.”

collegefix.org, 1/10/20; freedomproject.com, 1/15/20