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Under the new rules, discussions on “race or gender ideology," sexual orientation or gender identity appear to be barred from introductory-level courses.
The Texas A&M University System regents recently approved revised policies regarding courses addressing race, gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity. These changes, passed without public discussion of their substance, appear to effectively prohibit these topics in introductory-level courses, allowing narrow exceptions only for certain non-core curriculum or graduate courses that serve a 'necessary educational purpose' and are approved by the campus president.
Faculty members are expressing significant uncertainty and concern over how the revised policy will be interpreted and enforced, especially with the spring semester fast approaching. A philosophy professor, Martin Peterson, who chairs Texas A&M’s Academic Freedom Council, publicly labeled the new rules as 'outright censorship,' fearing it will prevent him from teaching critical components of his 'Contemporary Moral Issues' course, which typically covers moral questions related to race, gender, and sexual orientation.
The new policy also raises questions about its broader implications for undergraduate degree requirements, particularly cultural discourse courses designed to foster respectful discussions on difficult topics like race and gender. A faculty member, preferring anonymity, pointed out that most courses on the approved list for this requirement, such as 'Introduction to Race and Ethnicity' and 'Contemporary Moral Issues,' would necessarily involve these discussions, potentially rendering them problematic under the new restrictions.
The initial version of this policy was adopted in November, following conservative backlash sparked by a student's secret recording of a professor discussing gender identity in a children’s literature class. The original policy required campus presidents to approve any course seen as advocating 'race or gender ideology' and mandated consistency with approved syllabi. Faculty previously worried this would lead to overly broad interpretations, restricting topics across various academic disciplines.
An FAQ document circulated after the earlier policy clarified that 'advocating' meant requiring students to hold specific beliefs or ridiculing certain perspectives. It reassured faculty that teaching 'historically significant, empirically established and discipline-grounded topics' – including sensitive subjects like slavery, racism, the Holocaust, or same-sex relationships – was still permissible, as long as it did not involve enforcing particular viewpoints.
Texas A&M's actions are part of a wider trend among Texas university systems, which have recently initiated course audits. These audits are purportedly to comply with new state laws or directives, despite no explicit state or federal legislation banning the teaching of race, gender, or sexual orientation. Similar measures include the Texas Tech University System restricting race- or sex-based beliefs and Texas State advising professors to adopt more neutral language in course titles and descriptions.