Pornstar Professor Nick Goddard Quits Job – or Was He Pushed?

Today we learned that Nick Goddard, a lecturer in chemical engineering at the University of Manchester, has quit his job of 25 years. This follows the revelation that Goddard had appeared in porn films; he had been outed by students who recognised him.

If any story highlights the hypocrisy over pornography in Britain, it’s this one. As Goddard himself pointed out: “There is such hypocrisy with people watching porn then complaining about those who act in it”.

What Goddard did was legal; it didn’t affect his ability to teach chemical engineering; and if there is a clause in his contract preventing such behaviour, I’d love to see it.

In rational terms, it is impossible to explain why Goddard should have had to resign. The real charge against him is as follows: he had sex. But that  accusation could probably be levelled at 99% of the University of Manchester’s staff. The only significant difference between Goddard and the rest is that there exists proof of his sexual activities, and not of everyone else’s. He allowed his carnal behaviour to be recorded, they didn’t. Therefore, Goddard’s real crime is one of honesty; or perhaps failing to acknowledge that sex is basically shameful.

It’s disappointing that Goddard resigned (presumably, not voluntarily); but not surprising. Academia has become increasingly hostile to free expression of any form that might offend anyone. And yes, there might, in theory, exist a student so profoundly delicate that Goddard’s very presence on campus might reduce him or her to screaming hysteria. But by tailoring our society to the most fragile, we end up suppressing liberty in many forms. Goddard’s treatment is a sign of the censorious times we live in. Now that everybody (or at least, privileged university students) require “safe spaces”, then individual liberty must take a back seat.

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7 thoughts on “Pornstar Professor Nick Goddard Quits Job – or Was He Pushed?

  1. Nevertheless, if you are a university academic and moonlight in porn, if you become well known amongst students as a porn actor, don’t you put yourself in an untenable situation? That’s how I see it.

    1. On what grounds? Would the same apply if he was doing extra work on TV, or just in porn?

      1. I mean just in porn. I recall a story in The States where a teacher was fired when it was revealed she worked in porn.

  2. He did nothing wrong. No laws were broken. That’s the fact you simply can’t escape.

    Just because someone did some porn that doesn’t mean they should be chased out of every job they have purely because someone might recognise him.

    That’s a ridiculous way to think. The teacher that got fired in the states also shouldn’t have been fired. If her students couldn’t work properly because of something they know about her that’s their problem. You also have to remember America is one of the most closed minded and puritanical countries on earth. So using them as a validation is laughable at best.

    What’s next? Firing people because they were at a protest? Firing people who are atheist? Firing people because they are gay?

    As I said. No laws were broken. No harm done at all. He should have kept his job.

    1. I must confess, I have never been taught by an academic who I knew worked in porn. After all, it’s thanks to one of his students that he is in this situation. Going back to my college days, I’m pretty sure if we found out what one of our academics was up to this sort of thing I’ve no idea what would happen to him.

      1. That underscores r0bz0rz point. 50 years ago, most students would have said they had never been knowingly taught by a homosexual. Firing people for engaging in LEGAL activity is the issue here

  3. This will apply to those who teach children, I see no correlation between what an adult does legally) in their own time on the weekend as long as it doesnt affect their ability to teach during the week.

    Mores to the point, what were the students doing revealing such things anyway? How comes they get let off for watching porn? Did they do this on campus in their own time. Surely the accusers are just as guilty as the accused and should be equally shamed if we are to be fair.

    You may be interested to know that I can think of 6 people in thwe adult industry that came from teaching backgrounds which indicates they are intelligent and broadminded and had to leave the profession knowing the impact of doing porn would have had on their career.

    i wonder therefore, if the attitude would have been different if it was an educational sex video? That the real test of double standards. When is not seeing it go in different from seeing it going in?

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