Most students probably don’t bother to calculate the percentage of gay students in their statistics class.

With his curriculum-revolutionizing course, Michele DiPietro, director of the Eberly Center at Carnegie Mellon University, found a way to combine two of his interests — educating about sexual identity and statistics — into one academic setting.

This type of course should push homosexuality further into the mainstream. It connects an ordinary topic with a hot button one. The more exposure sexual orientation receives in a conventional manner, the more likely people are to rethink their stereotypes about the lifestyle.

A college class is the perfect forum for bringing sensitive topics to the forefront. Students choose what courses they enroll in. If they are interested in DiPietro’s class on statistics relative to the gay community, then they can take it. If they are offended by the subject, then obviously, it will not make their roster.

But it may be beneficial to slightly offend some people, because it can be enough to spark a debate. And on college campuses, debates tend to spread rampantly because of their bubble-like environments. Issues like homosexuality demand discussion — it’s the best way to settle differences.

DiPietro must be clear about his class’s curriculum, though. Students should not end up in a issue-driven statistics course when they intend on taking Intro to Stats, but it is unlikely this will happen.

And students who choose to enroll in DiPietro’s class will likely get more out of it than a normal math class. Statistics can be a somewhat dry subject. Putting a unique perspective on it could stimulate interest — and stats, not gay issues, are the focus of the class.

By teaching these statistics, DiPietro says his students will learn more about society because the facts and figures are grounded in reality. The more students know about the world around them, the more likely they are to be accepting of others. One of his students said she gained “understanding about people with alternative lifestyles” after completing the course. The class itself has drawn a mixed crowd, promoting diversity through its setting.

Controversial subjects aren’t limited to Carnegie Mellon, either. Harvard University and Yale University each offer classes about sexual orientation. This trend should continue to expand across the country.