COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Texas A&M University System regents on Thursday instituted a new policy that requires professors to seek approval from the school president before discussing certain race and gender topics. This decision comes in the wake of a viral incident where a student confronted an instructor about her teachings, stirring controversy within the flagship campus.
The policy will impact all 12 institutions within the Texas A&M System, which is among the largest universities in the United States. It mandates that no academic course should advocate for race or gender ideology or cover topics pertaining to sexual orientation or gender identity without prior approval from the campus president.
This action marks a significant first for public university systems in Texas, setting restrictions on what faculty may address in their classrooms in regard to race and gender. Other Texas university systems have similarly begun reviewing or imposing limitations on instructional content following recent legislation.
Critics argue that this new regulation threatens academic freedom and may infringe upon First Amendment rights, severely impacting faculty's ability to teach openly.
Rana Jaleel, chair of the American Association of University Professors’ committee on academic freedom, expressed concerns, stating, This policy strikes at the heart of what education means and what universities fundamentally do — circulate the exchange of knowledge without fear of retaliation or censorship.
Texas A&M’s new guidelines define ‘race ideology’ as concepts that shame a particular race, while ‘gender ideology’ refers to views that prioritize self-identified gender over biological sex. The intent behind the changes is not to control personal speech but to ensure that educational content aligns with approved curricula.
In light of these reforms, the university framework has faced scrutiny, particularly following the fallout from September’s firing of Melissa McCoul, an English lecturer, after her dispute with a student over gender identity discussions in a class. This incident and subsequent political pressure have led to significant shifts in administrative policies.
During a recent board meeting, several Texas A&M professors publicly opposed the new policy, with some calling for McCoul to be reinstated. In contrast, a few faculty members supported the regulations, emphasizing the responsibility to educate rather than advocate.
