Texas has become a central battleground in the growing conflict over academic freedom in higher education across the U.S. According to a recent report by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), titled “Manufacturing Backlash,” Texas is a leading example of how right-wing think tanks and wealthy donors are driving legislative efforts to curtail academic autonomy and promote a conservative agenda within universities.
Since 2021, Texas legislators have introduced multiple bills targeting higher education, aligning with a broader national strategy orchestrated by conservative organizations such as the Heritage Foundation and the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). These efforts reached critical mass last year with the passage of Senate Bill 17 and Senate Bill 18. These bills aim to undermine academic freedom generally, and they specifically target initiatives related to Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), which have become focal points of conservative backlash.
One significant area of focus by these national groups has been on weakening tenure protections for faculty members. Last year, SB 18 made it easier to dismiss tenured professors, which would make faculty more susceptible to political pressure and reduce academic freedom. Similar measures have been seen in other states, but Texas has been particularly aggressive in this regard, reflecting the influence of state-level think tanks like the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF).
Partisan university administrators have already attempted to use these weakened tenure protections to dismiss tenured faculty, but thanks to the organizing efforts of Texas AAUP-AFT, these efforts ultimately failed.
The AAUP report highlights how these legislative efforts are part of a coordinated strategy to reshape higher education in Texas. For instance, bills aimed at restricting DEI programs on campuses have been a key component of this agenda. In 2023, Texas lawmakers passed SB 17, which was designed to dismantle institutional efforts to promote diversity and inclusion, arguing that such programs are politically biased and divisive. The implementation of this bill has been predictably disorganized and unpopular.
Additionally, members of the Texas Legislature have joined right-wing lawmakers in other states in challenging the authority of accrediting bodies, particularly when these bodies have raised concerns about political interference in university governance. By weakening the accreditation system, legislators aim to reduce external oversight and increase the state’s partisan control over university policies and curricula. The report references a Texas bill considered last session that would have removed any reference to Texas’ current accrediting body, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), from state law. This bill did not pass, but it likely will be reconsidered next session.
The report underscores that the push against academic freedom in Texas is not an isolated phenomenon but part of a well-organized and well-funded campaign. The report uncovers a network created by wealthy donors and political organizations that promotes conservative legislation related to higher education and a plethora of other issues. This network has waged a campaign to paint universities as hotbeds of liberal indoctrination.
The outcome of these legislative battles will likely have long-lasting effects on the state’s higher education system, potentially serving as a model for similar efforts across the country. Texas AAUP-AFT, which is affiliated with Texas AFT, stands ready to oppose these efforts. In preparation for the next legislative session and in response to these attacks, Texas AAUP-AFT has been rapidly growing across the state. In both K-12 and at the college level, a well-organized union provides the best defense against well-funded attempts to dismantle education.