Prof. Charlotte Garden Interviewed in USA TODAY about the Firing of UW-La Crosse Chancellor

Professor Charlotte Garden was interviewed in USA TODAY about the firing of University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow after it was revealed that he appeared in pornography with his spouse. Gow maintains that his actions count as free speech and should not result in termination, but the UW-La Crosse Board of Regents disagreed. The case for whether speech is protected often comes down to whether that speech is a matter of public concern, Garden told USA TODAY in an interview. The adult movies Gow created with his wife very likely wouldn't meet that threshold, but the couple's books – written under pseudonyms and exploring sexuality through an intellectual lens – might count as such, Garden said. The vote to fire Gow was based on the videos.