The Texas Tech University System has enacted new restrictions on how race and gender can be discussed in classrooms, banning professors from promoting any ideology that suggests one race or sex is inherently superior to another. This policy was implemented on November 6, 2023, and follows similar actions taken by the Texas A&M System in the previous months.
Under the new guidelines, faculty members are prohibited from advocating for “race or sex-based prejudice.” The policy defines such advocacy as presenting these beliefs as correct or necessary and pressuring students to affirm them. Additionally, professors are not allowed to teach that there are more than two sexes—male and female—citing compliance with state law and federal policy.
This directive requires instructors to submit course materials related to race, sexual orientation, and gender identity for review by department heads, deans, and a committee of the Board of Regents. If the content does not receive approval, it will be removed from the curriculum.
Randy Creighton, Chancellor of the Texas Tech University System, stated that these changes are essential to comply with state and federal laws, Board of Regents policy, and directives from the Chancellor. The new rules take effect immediately across Texas Tech’s five campuses, which collectively serve approximately 64,000 students.
The recent policy is part of a broader review initiated by the Texas Tech Board of Regents under Senate Bill 37, a law authored by Creighton. This law mandates that university governing boards evaluate course requirements for graduation. Since September 2023, Texas Tech has already restricted professors from teaching that more than two genders exist, following a directive from former Chancellor Tedd Mitchell.
Mitchell justified this guidance by referencing a presidential executive order and a directive from Texas Governor Greg Abbott, which emphasizes a binary understanding of sex based on reproductive systems. Although there is no explicit law in Texas banning discussions of race, gender identity, and sexual orientation in public universities, the new policy forbids instructors from suggesting that individuals are “inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive” or that they should be discriminated against due to their race or sex.
Professors must ensure that all course materials are relevant and necessary, and any content related to race or sex-based prejudice requires approval from multiple levels of university administration. Violations of this policy may lead to disciplinary actions consistent with university regulations and state law.
Critics of the policy, including Greg Greubel, an attorney at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, have raised concerns regarding its vagueness, suggesting it could lead to censorship of controversial topics. Greubel contends that the regulations represent a state-endorsed perspective on race and gender, contradicting the fundamental mission of universities to foster diverse viewpoints. He emphasized the importance of educational environments where students can engage with a variety of perspectives, stating, “It’s hard to call it an education if you have to just memorize what the state says is approved.”
As curriculum reviews continue across Texas, Greubel has urged both students and faculty to resist policies that limit discussions surrounding race and gender identity. He remarked, “It’s wrong for Texas Tech to do it, and it’s going to be wrong for the next school that does it, too.”
This recent decision by the Texas Tech University System underscores a significant shift in educational policy within Texas, reflecting broader national trends regarding race and gender in education. As these developments unfold, the implications for academic freedom and diversity of thought within higher education remain a topic of considerable debate.
