The Texas Tech University System has enacted new restrictions on how race and gender can be discussed in classrooms, effective immediately across its five campuses. The policy prohibits professors from promoting the idea that one race or sex is “inherently superior” to another and defines advocacy as presenting such beliefs as correct or pressuring students to affirm them. This development follows a similar move by the Texas A&M System in November, which limited discussions on race and gender ideology.
The policy explicitly states that faculty members cannot teach that there are more than two sexes—male and female—citing adherence to “state law and federal policy.” Additionally, professors are required to submit course content involving sexual orientation, gender identity, and race for review by department and university leadership, as well as a regents committee. If the content is deemed inappropriate, it will be removed from the curriculum.
Randy Creighton, the Chancellor of the Texas Tech University System, emphasized that these changes are necessary for compliance with state and federal laws, Board of Regents policy, and Chancellor directives. The new guidelines will impact approximately 64,000 students enrolled across the system.
As part of the review process, all course materials must be relevant and necessary for classroom instruction. The memo specifies that professors cannot advocate that an individual is “inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, consciously or unconsciously,” nor can they suggest that individuals bear guilt for the actions of others of the same race or sex.
While there is no explicit state law banning discussions on race, gender identity, or sexual orientation in public universities, the new policy reflects a growing trend in Texas to regulate these topics. The guidelines also echo previous directives under former Chancellor Tedd Mitchell, which restricted teachings on gender to two categories.
Critics of the policy, such as Greg Greubel, an attorney at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, argue that the vagueness of the rules could lead to widespread censorship of controversial subjects. Greubel contends that these regulations undermine the fundamental mission of universities as spaces for diverse perspectives and critical engagement.
“It’s hard to call it an education if you have to just memorize what the state says is approved,” he remarked, highlighting the potential for stifled academic freedom. With curriculum reviews occurring across various university systems in Texas, Greubel encourages students and faculty to challenge restrictions on race and gender discussions.
The policy’s introduction marks a significant shift in academic freedom within the Texas Tech University System. As educational leaders navigate the implications of these changes, the discourse surrounding race and gender in higher education continues to evolve in the state.
