This stuff happens on the academic side all the time at state schools, especially at flagships in "hostile" territory where there is a political environment of being anti-public education.
Deal with this all the time here in Oklahoma. There are politicians who make entire careers of bad mouthing intellectuals of all stripes.
As someone that still takes students for private tutoring in advanced politics (when I'm healthy enough, obviously), it never ceases to amaze me how little our people know about their system andits unique little glitches
But the one topic I get the most requests for teaching subcourses in is, of course, intersections between sports and politics. These two have been squabbling bedmates for years and it's nearly impossible to get clear separation between them.
Edit: Okay, *now* I'm outta tis thread...sorry 'bout that