Texas Tech faculty protest new teaching restrictions amid state‑wide policy shift
Professors at Texas Tech University have been warning students that recent state‑mandated rules could limit classroom discussion of race, gender and sexuality.
Background to the new rules
Texas Tech University is among 45 public colleges in the state responding to a series of higher‑education policy changes that began with Senate Bill 17, a 2023 law that eliminated diversity, equity and inclusion offices and programs at public universities while carving out an exemption for classroom instruction and academic research. Further changes in 2025 added state oversight of university curricula, prompting Texas Tech to adopt some of the most expansive restrictions on teaching about race, sex, gender identity and sexual orientation.
Faculty take their message to the “free speech area”
On a recent Wednesday morning, a small group of professors set up a folding table outside the campus library in a spot known to students as the “free speech area.” The table displayed flyers listing classic works such as Homer’s The Odyssey, William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and Herman Melville’s Moby‑Dick. The professors explained that these titles represent texts that could potentially run afoul of the new teaching rules.
Assistant professor of practice in English Deena Varner, who has taught at Texas Tech for five years, said she and her colleagues have spoken with “hundreds of students” since they began tabling nine months ago. Their outreach continued even after university administrators instructed faculty not to discuss the policies with students.
Classroom uncertainty
Varner described a climate of anxiety among faculty: “Everyone is walking around really afraid of doing the wrong thing, saying the wrong thing, teaching the wrong thing.” She added that because “everyone has a gender identity and everyone has sexual orientation, what it means to not be able to talk about those things is really unclear.”
University officials have warned that faculty who fail to comply with the new policies could face disciplinary action, heightening the pressure on professors to self‑censor or alter course materials.
Student and faculty response
The flyers and stickers left on the table have sparked curiosity among passing students, some of whom stop to ask about the list. While many continue on to class, the presence of the professors and the visible signage signal ongoing tension between the campus community and the state‑mandated restrictions.
As the debate continues, Texas Tech faculty remain vigilant, balancing their instructional responsibilities with the risk of administrative penalties under the new rules.
