Quick Takes: Kut News — UT System votes to limit ‘controversial topics’ in class, raising concerns about academic freedom

https://www.kut.org/education/2026-02-19/ut-system-votes-to-limit-controversial-topics-in-class-raising-concerns-about-academic-freedom

Why it’s worth a look: I swear, I’m not picking on Texas (two mentions in two episodes), but this article is simply too important to pass up.  As I said before, there are certain states that consistently move to the front of their respective political sleds – California tends to do so for ‘blue’ states and Texas tends to do so for ‘red’ ones.  In this case, the University of Texas school system has voted to enact a faculty policy that must “not attempt to coerce, indoctrinate, harass, or belittle students, especially in addressing controversial subjects and areas where people of good faith can hold differing convictions.” Faculty must also exclude “unrelated controversial or contested matters” from syllabi and only follow the contents of the syllabus for each course. 

I read this to say that the line between church and state is, in Texas public universities, completely blurred, and that the arguments between science and religion are also at potential impasses.  If I am a family, considering a school in the UT system, I would urge the examination of this new policy very carefully and make sure it is in the best interest of your child.  I, for one, am very concerned about the direction of this once prominent school system.