Texas university and college professors could soon lose tenure if the teach critical Race Theory in their classrooms. The Lone Star state’s lieutenant governor has promised action.
Texas Lt. Governor. Dan Patrick stated that he would work to remove them from their jobs in Texas if they teach CRT.
Patrick said that “the critical race theory people want to take us back into a divided country,” during a press conference.
“Tenure these professors who voted 41-5 informing the taxpayers, the parents, the legislature and your own board or regents to get out their business that they have no say what we do in the classroom…
Patrick stated, “What we will do is to terminate all tenure for new hires,” and vowed that the state legislature would take legal action against teachers of the subject in their classrooms.
He stated that the law would change to state that teaching critical race theory is prima facie proof of good cause for tenure revocation. Patrick stated that he would prefer annual reviews of professors to six-year reviews.
Patrick’s comments were made after a vote was held by the Faculty Council at The University of Texas at Austin regarding a resolution that “defend academic liberty” by allowing the promotion of critique race theory within classrooms.
In a video that has been viewed more than 10,000 times, UT Austin Associate Professor of Finance Dr. Richard Lowery criticized the resolution, which affirmed professors’ “fundamental rights to promote critical race theory in classrooms.”
Lowery stated to Fox News that critical racism theory, which advocates the notion that the United States is intrinsically racist, has “no scientific foundation.”
Lowery stated that “from an academic perspective, it basically assumes its conclusion.” Lowery stated that there is no reason to conduct research if you already assume everything is driven by one thing. You assume that everything is driven by racism. So, you can go back and find out what drives things. It is not falsifiable. It is not supported by science.”
Andrea Gore, a professor at UT-Austin’s Division of Toxicology and Pharmacology, disagreed with Lowery and offered her support for the resolution. She said that it was “educators and NOT politicians” who should decide what classes are taught in schools throughout the state.
Gore stated that the resolution affirms the fact that it is educators, not politicians, who make decisions about teaching/learning. It supports the academic freedom of faculty members to create courses and conduct related scholarly research.
