ASU professor suspended after students say she showed controversial film

BOONE, N.C. — An Appalachian State professor said she was suspended for showing a movie in class that she found in the school library.

The movie is about the pornography industry.

Dr. Jammie Price, a sociology professor, is on paid administrative leave. She was joined by other instructors at Appalachian State University when she gave a petition with 350 signatures to university leaders.

“I had no idea there were any students who were upset about the movie,” Price said.

She showed a movie called “The Price of Pleasure” in her introductory sociology course. The film, which she got from the university's library, criticizes the porn industry and businesses that make money off of it.

Price admitted she didn't view it first but said the movie, which does show pornography, was suitable for college students.

“College isn't supposed to be about, ‘Show me flowers and tell me about all the lovely things in life.’ You're supposed to learn about what's happening, and what's happening in our world is not all bubble gum,” Price said.

Eyewitness News spoke to two students who saw the film in Price's class. They didn't want to be identified but said they were never warned about the content.

“We were all initially kind of shocked,” one student said. “We were all looking down and around like, ‘What do we do?’ We didn't know how to react because it was offensive.”

The university said it received complaints from four students about the film and about other incidents.

Students accused Price of using inappropriate speech in class. Price is also accused of criticizing the university, calling it racist because the mascot is a white man.

Right now, the university is not commenting about the case.

Price said she could learn her status as early as Monday, when she is scheduled to meet with school leaders.

WSOC