Student lawsuit says Portland State professor's fixation on her porn modeling derailed her education

Professor Marcia Klotz

A former Portland State University student who worked as a pornographic bondage model is seeking more than $1 million in damages from PSU, asserting that an English professor's intense interest in the student's sex work derailed her academically and made her physically ill.

Whitney "Theda" Orlando alleges in her federal lawsuit that professor Marcia Klotz fixated on her sexual history and bondage work, and used her influence over Orlando's college opportunities to coerce her to provide sex-related material.

The case highlights the challenge university officials can face in drawing a line between a faculty member's legitimate academic engagement with sexually tinged topics – the professor taught a class on "The Erotics of Power" and wrote a paper titled "It's Not Really Porn" – from sexual matters inappropriate to discuss with a student.  (more...)

Student lawsuit says Portland State professor's fixation on her porn modeling derailed her education