Six weeks after the spring semester began, the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents met Thursday but did not publicly answer a central question facing professors: What, exactly, are they allowed to teach about race, gender and sexuality?
The new chancellor, Brandon Creighton, upended longstanding academic norms late last year when he directed faculty to recognize there are only two sexes, male and female; barred them from promoting the idea that individuals are inherently racist or sexist; and required regents’ approval of flagged course content. Since then, courses were canceled, readings removed or shortened and instructors required to sign statements agreeing not to teach certain material unless regents approve it.
