Censorship has set sail with The Texas A&M University System at the helm. The A&M System Board of Regents voted unanimously to ban teaching “race and gender” ideology in classes on Nov. 13 unless teachers obtain signed permission from each campus president. A&M System defined race ideology as “a concept that attempts to shame a particular race or ethnicity,” including labeling any race as an “oppressor.” Gender ideology is described as “a concept that self-assessed gender identity should replace the biological category of sex.” This sweeping ban represents Texas A&M System’s stance on diversity, equity and inclusion, and it poses a great risk to the values of higher education, culture and academia.
This instance is not the system’s first stand against inclusion and diversity, and it will likely not be the last. In September, Texas A&M University fired Professor Melissa McCoul after a lesson on gender identities was recorded and posted by a student. The lesson was ultimately found to violate President Donald Trump’s order that there are only two sexes. The university failed to back McCoul and allowed the unjust termination of her and two other innocent staff members’ jobs.
Following that controversy, A&M System put the last nail in the coffin. Officially banning the teachings of race and gender is the system’s final say in the matter of diversity teachings — efforts toward inclusion and advocacy for acceptance are not admissible within university walls.
By affirming this ban, Texas A&M System creates opportunities for harmful racist and homophobic rhetoric to flourish on what is already one of the most conservative college campuses in the U.S. Official bans only further support the presence of bigotry on campus. University systems ought to be the strongest advocates of free speech and diversity as institutions of knowledge, not vessels for intolerance.
This ban not only hinders the embrace of diversity but also course accuracy. Racism and LGBTQ+ intolerance play vital roles in history and present-day job training. History cannot be accurately taught without the inclusion of racism’s impact on families, industries and political climates. For A&M System to omit racism from lessons, the university promotes historical revisionism. Understanding LGBTQ+ and racial differences is vital, especially as intolerance remains prevalent in patient and client care. By not teaching students “race and gender ideology,” Texas A&M System denies them the comprehensive education they are paying for.
A&M System has failed once again to preserve the values that any respectable university should carry. The regents have turned their backs on their students’ well-being and education, choosing to favor bigotry and insularity over cultural acceptance. Universities must fight against closed-mindedness, not fan the flames of intolerance.
