AUSTIN, Texas — Student leaders at the University of Texas at Austin voiced their support of academic freedom to teach gender justice and critical race theory in public universities on Friday.
Three student government groups drafted a joint resolution in support of the UT Faculty Council's own resolution passed earlier this month, which states that educators, not politicians, should make decisions about what is taught in classrooms.
In the draft resolution, the groups affirm they stand in solidarity with the Faculty Council and will stand against "any and all encroachment" on university faculty authority curriculum decisions by the university board of regents and the legislature.
The resolution also called on UT President Jay Hartzell, Provost Sharon Wood and Vice President Soncia Reagins-Lilly to state that they will reject attempts by external entities to restrict or dictate what is taught in university classrooms.
"As student leaders, we find the need to show our support for an education that encourages engagement with issues such as the history of race in the United States and the marginalization of non-dominant groups," the resolution stated in regard to why it was necessary. "Education should be free from the personal vendetta of politicians and should be dictated by the experts: educators."
The student resolution comes a week after Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced he would draft a bill to ban tenure for all new professor hires and allow universities to revoke tenure for professors who teach critical race theory, which he said should be grounds for firing.
Patrick, who is up for reelection this year, said he would draft the legislation for the 88th Legislative Session.
In response to Patrick's announcement, Hartzell sent a letter to faculty where he said that "removing tenure would not only cripple Texas' ability to recruit and retain great faculty members, it would also hurt Texas students, who would not be able to stay in state knowing that they will be learning from the very best in the country."
Read the full letter here.
Critical race theory isn't taught in Texas public schools, but state lawmakers passed two bills in 2021 connected to the topic. The laws focus on how teachers discuss racism, history and current events without explicitly mentioning critical race theory.
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