Texas Republicans have finally done it — they’ve turned higher education into a political rodeo. Professors are being fired faster than students can drop Intro to Philosophy, DEI offices are gone, and everyone’s too scared to say the word “gender” without first checking the latest legislative decree. The state that once bragged about “freedom” now has campus speech zones smaller than a Buc-ee’s bathroom stall.
Texas Tech, always eager to outdo itself in the category of “bad press disguised as policy,” just crowned former GOP senator Brandon Creighton as chancellor — the same guy who wrote the laws strangling universities in the first place. He insists he’s not here for “ideological battles,” which is a bold claim from a man who literally authored the war plan.
Meanwhile, professors are scrubbing words like “diverse” and “culture” from syllabi, UT-Austin might quietly dismantle its liberal arts college, and students are discovering that the only “safe space” left is the parking lot outside the Turning Point USA rally. Somewhere, Charlie Kirk’s ghost is smiling — probably because it’s the only thing allowed to speak freely anymore.
But don’t worry, says Creighton. Texas universities are still “focused on academic excellence.” Just as long as your definition of “excellence” doesn’t involve Shakespeare, suffrage, or anything that might make Greg Abbott frown.
Freedom of speech in Texas higher ed: you can say whatever you want — as long as it’s approved, pre-screened, and politically aligned.
https://www.texastribune.org/2025/10/23/texas-republicans-higher-ed-college-political-overhaul/
