Last month, a viral video showing a Texas A&M University student confronting a professor over a discussion of gender identity during a children鈥檚 literature class that has led other schools to review their academic offerings.
Texas A&M fired the professor in the video and former university President Mark A. Welsh III . Seeking to preempt any similar controversy, the Texas Tech University System last week instructing faculty to ensure that their courses comply with a a from Gov. Greg Abbott and a new that recognizes only two sexes.
Faculty and LGBTQ+ advocates fear the directive will limit classroom discussion of transgender and nonbinary identities. They warn the universities鈥� actions are the byproduct of political interference that threatens academic freedom and the quality of higher education in the state.
Brian Evans, president of the Texas Conference of the American Association of University Professors, said administrators should enable students to learn the widest set of topics by ensuring faculty can speak freely. He added that colleges and universities 鈥渉ave an obligation to develop campus policies that protect the Constitutional rights of their faculty to teach and research the subjects in their areas of expertise without intimidation or censorship.鈥�
No law explicitly bars teaching topics like gender identity or the existence of more than two sexes. But Texas universities know their courses are under the microscope, with politicians and activists combing through catalogs and syllabi and demanding changes to any material they consider objectionable.
In the heels of Texas Tech鈥檚 guidance, at least three public university systems 鈥� the University of North Texas, the University of Texas and Texas Woman's University 鈥� have ordered course reviews. They have framed the effort as ensuring compliance with state and federal law. But UT, UNT and TWU, unlike Texas Tech, did not specify which laws triggered the reviews. The systems did not say what actions their schools would take after the reviews.
Public universities are required to conduct curriculum reviews under , passed this year, but the first reviews aren鈥檛 due until 2027. The law directs governing boards to examine whether general education courses "are necessary to prepare students for civic and professional life" and "ensure a breadth of knowledge." Earlier versions of the bill went much further, barring courses from promoting the superiority of any race, sex or religion, or from endorsing specific public policies or ideologies, but that language was cut before passage.
University of North Texas System
On Sept. 29, Chancellor Michael Williams directed each UNT System institution to conduct an expedited review of its academic courses and programs, including a complete syllabi review, to ensure compliance with 鈥渁ll current applicable state and federal laws, executive orders, and court orders.鈥� Campuses have until Jan. 1 to finish the reviews.
Although Williams鈥� letter did not mention Trump鈥檚 executive order, Abbott鈥檚 letter or House Bill 229 like Mitchell鈥檚 directive did, a UNT system spokesperson told The Texas Tribune they will be considered in the course reviews. But when asked whether the system believes those measures prohibit schools from teaching that there are more than two sexes, or what the reviews will specifically look for, the spokesperson said only that those questions 鈥渨ill be discussed in the reviews.鈥�
Texas Woman鈥檚 University System
Texas Woman's University System is "in the process of establishing a review of academic courses and programs, in accordance with all applicable state and federal laws,"a spokesperson said. The system, which is the state's newest and smallest with campuses in Denton, Dallas and Houston, did not specify what the review will look for or whether it could result in changes to courses or programs.
Texas A&M University System
Texas A&M University SystemChancellor Glenn Hegar on Sept. 9 a systemwide audit of course offerings, a day after Rep. Brian Harrison, R-Midlothian, posted a secretly recorded video of the children鈥檚 literature class.
The clip went viral, and within days, professor Melissa McCoul was fired, the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and the head of the English Department were removed, and Welsh resigned under pressure from state leaders who said he had mishandled the controversy.
Hegar has not publicly detailed how the course review will be carried out or what criteria will be used.
Texas Tech University System
Texas Tech University SystemChancellor Tedd Mitchell directed the presidents of the system鈥檚 five universities to review course materials, syllabi and curricula.
In a Sept. 25 letter, Mitchell told the university presidents to 鈥渕ake timely adjustments where needed鈥� to comply with President Donald Trump鈥檚 Jan. 20 executive order, Gov. Greg Abbott鈥檚 Jan. 30 letter and House Bill 229, all of which recognize only two sexes, male and female. None of them directly requires or mentions restrictions on teaching.
鈥淲hile recognizing the First Amendment rights of employees in their personal capacity, faculty must comply with these laws in the instruction of students, within the course and scope of their employment,鈥� Mitchell wrote.
The order offered no details on how the reviews would be conducted, leaving faculty uncertain about what changes might follow and drawing criticism from free speech and LGBTQ+ advocates who called it censorship and accused it of being cruel to trans and nonbinary students.
Mitchell鈥檚 directive came after , part of the Texas Tech System, told faculty they could not discuss transgender and nonbinary identities in their classes, making it the first known public Texas university to restrict classroom acknowledgment of such gender identities.
University of Texas System
University of Texas SystemA UT System spokesperson told the Tribune that the system is reviewing 鈥済ender identity鈥� courses across all campuses 鈥渢o ensure compliance and alignment with applicable law and state and federal guidance, and to make sure any courses that are taught on UT campuses are aligned with the direction and priorities of the Board of Regents.鈥� The review will be discussed at the regents鈥� November meeting, the spokesperson said.
The UT System did not cite any specific measures that had triggered the reviews. The spokesperson did not say whether the system was interpreting and applying the president鈥檚 executive order, the governor鈥檚 letter or House Bill 229 in the same way as Texas Tech did.
The UT System also did not clarify what 鈥渞eviewing gender identity courses鈥� means in practice or whether it intends to prohibit or alter such classes.
University of Houston System
The system did not respond Tuesday to the Tribune鈥檚 request for comment.
Texas State University System
The system did not respond Tuesday to the Tribune鈥檚 request for comment.
Community colleges
In the Houston area, San Jacinto College "has made faculty and staff aware" of Trump鈥檚 executive order, Gov. Abbott鈥檚 letter and House Bill 229, according to Amanda Fenwick, a spokesperson for the college. Faculty have been instructed to do a review of course content, she said.
鈥淪an Jacinto College is committed to understanding and following federal and state laws and ensuring that all employees 鈥� including faculty 鈥� are compliant,鈥� Fenwick wrote in a statement to the Tribune.
As part of the review, faculty have been ordered to ensure course content is aligned with student growth goals, which are in the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board鈥檚 Academic Course Guide Manual and Workforce Education Course Manual, Fenwick said.
Texas has 50 community colleges. It is unclear if any other school is planning to review their courses. The Tribune also reached out to Alvin Community College and Blinn College, but they have not responded.