The state House of Representatives voted yesterday to subtract a small amount of money from Penn State's appropriation, in a symbolic gesture against sexually explicit student events.

"I know what wrong is," said Rep. John Lawless, R-Montgomery, just before the house passed his budget amendment, 102-95. "Graham Spanier may not know what wrong is, but I do."

Lawless' amendment takes $9,520 from the more-than-$300 million appropriation, which still has to pass the Senate and be signed by Gov. Tom Ridge.

Members of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus gave their support to Lawless' amendment, but for a different reason.

"Whether you support Lawless' amendment or not, the issues is -- at least for me is -- 'Am I going to allow my children to go to Happy Valley and be intimidated out of their wits?' " said Rep. John Myers, D-Philadelphia.

Myers, a member of the Legislative Black Caucus who visited Penn State for meetings on racism earlier this month, said he was voting for the amendment.

Following the racist threat toward a black student on Friday, black legislators have put even more pressure on university president Spanier to make Penn State a friendlier place to African American students. Spanier met with the lawmakers Monday.

When a few representatives chimed in about last month's basketball riot, the House session yesterday became a convergence of the year's three most contoversial events for enn State.

"The administration of Penn State has embarrassed the institution," said Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Butler, speaking about the student-run Sex Faire and Cuntfest (referred to by the legislators as the "C-Fest").

One local representative came to the university's defense.

"Please step back a moment and think about what this amendment is," said Rep. Lynn Herman, R-Centre.

Herman didn't talk about racism, but he said taking money from the university would punish all the students for the actions of the few who participated in the Sex Faire.

"It isn't right," Herman said. It isn't fair."

Rep. John Yudichak, D-Luzerne, told the House that cutting funding was the wrong solution to Penn State's problems.

"I don't believe that's a productive way of addressing the inappropriate behavior of college students," Yudichak said.

In hearings earlier this year, Senate members seemed less eager than their House counterparts to use Penn State's funding to make a political statement.

Penn State's appropriation is moving as House Bill 1214, which is available through http://www.legis.state.pa.us.