COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) – A national higher education group is condemning Texas A&M University’s decision to remove course materials, including texts by Plato, calling the changes a violation of academic freedom that goes beyond what state law requires.
The American Association of University Professors released a statement Monday criticizing the university’s review of dozens of undergraduate courses ahead of the spring semester. The AAUP advocates for academic freedom in colleges and universities across the U.S.
The statement comes after Texas A&M professors told KBTX they were instructed to remove certain readings from their syllabi or risk being reassigned as the university moves to comply with new system policies.
Dr. Leonard Bright, professor and chapter president of the American Association of Professors at Texas A&M’s flagship campus, said faculty are being told what they can and can’t discuss as the university reviews courses.
“We see these kinds of efforts to limit our discussions and to censor them, and even more damaging, to basically give us talking points for what we can and can’t say in our classrooms,” Bright said.
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The AAUP said the changes go far beyond what’s required under Senate Bill 37 and Texas A&M System policy, which requires approval from a campus president for courses discussing “race or gender ideology” after conservative scrutiny of previous curriculum.
“Texas A&M is going to serve as an example of what happens when a university turns back on its commitment to higher education, to providing a broad, deep knowledge to our students,” Bright said.
The American Association of University Professors released the following statement:
Bright expressed concerns about the broader implications for student education.
“We want to make certain that we have an education that prepares students for the broad world, not for a political group, not for one small community, but for the entire world,” Bright said.
He warned about the consequences of the changes.
“There’s going to be a cost to this. And unfortunately, our students are going to pay that cost,” Bright said. “That’s not education. That’s indoctrination.”
This isn’t the first time the AAUP has criticized Texas A&M. Months ago, the group condemned the firing of faculty and administrators at A&M, calling it political interference in higher education.
University officials said course review is an ongoing process and deans have until Friday to ask for opinions on courses. Any decisions on canceled or adjusted classes will be made ahead of the semester’s add and drop deadline to minimize student impact.
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