Overview
- Days before the spring term, Texas A&M began enforcing a regents policy that bars core courses from teaching or advocating race or gender ideology or topics related to sexual orientation or gender identity without special approval.
- The Houston Chronicle confirmed three affected classes so far, including the cancellation of Introduction to Race and Ethnicity, the removal of certain Plato readings from a philosophy course, and moving Communication, Religion and the Arts out of the core.
- Philosophy professor Martin Peterson replaced modules on race and gender with sessions on academic freedom after being told to remove the flagged Plato texts or accept reassignment.
- An email to English faculty said core courses could not include literary works with a major LGBTQ plotline, reflecting narrow guidance that faculty say creates uncertainty and chills discussion.
- University officials declined to say how many courses are impacted, said they will seek exemptions for some offerings as reported by faculty who met with the dean, and pledged that Plato will still appear in other approved sections.