Fox Objects To Research Grants Ban On Studies That Aren’t Socially Redeeming Disputed

Members of the Idaho Board of Education battled Friday over a suggestion from Schools Superintendent Anne Fox that the state stop funding research that is not socially redeeming.

Fox said she objected to a $34,000 state research grant that helped finance a film produced by members of the faculty at Boise State University. Fox said it shows direct nudity.

The film, “Not This Part of the World,” also received funding from the U S West Foundation, Boise State University and the Whittenberger Foundation.

Phil Atlakson, an associate professor of theater arts at BSU, said the only nudity in the film is when a character holds up a black and white photograph of a nude person and questions what viewers think about it.

“It is done in a split second. It’s nudity like you would see in the Sunday paper, like a Bon Marche ad,” he said.

During the board meeting in Boise, Fox asked whether taxpayers get to analyze state research grant applications.

Carol Martin, BSU associate vice president for academic affairs, said the state’s Higher Education Research Council has four members who have research expertise outside the universities and LewisClark State College.

Four other members who represent the schools serve on the council, she said.

Fox said there is a conflict between economic development interests and the direct nudity in the film. State-funded research grants should benefit society, not demean it, she said.

She said the research council should pick the middle ground of grant applications, so the money can’t go to fringe areas.

“That way, state tax dollars won’t be wasted on research areas that aren’t socially redeeming,” she said.

Board member Thomas Dillon of Caldwell said he doesn’t want do anything that could be construed as trying to define the final outcome of research. “That’s a very, very dangerous road to go down,” he said.

Board member Carole McWilliam of Pocatello agreed. “To try to control outcomes is antithesis to what research is,” she said.