DES MOINES, Iowa — Jay Clarkson has had no trouble getting students at the University of Iowa to sign up for his fall class examining pornography in popular culture.

One person who isn’t a fan, however, is Iowa House Speaker Chris Rants, who is questioning whether tax dollars should be spent on the elective class.

“Do they know that we’re not done with their budget yet?” Rants, R-Sioux City, said. “I’m pretty sure we don’t need to increase state funding by $40 million to teach critical pornography studies.”

The Legislature is still wrangling with an education budget. Clarkson, a graduate student, says students seeking a cheap thrill should look elsewhere.

“There are probably some students who will be titillated by the title,” he said. “They will be disappointed.”

The one-time course is being offered by the communications program at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences – and it’s already full with 20 students, and a growing waiting list.

Clarkson said his goal is to get people to think about how pornography has moved from the adult bookstore to everyday advertising.

“It’s not a class about enjoying or viewing pornography,” Clarkson said. “We will certainly be talking and reading critics who are against pornography.”

Clarkson said pornographic films and other explicit materials won’t be viewed in class.