Texas A&M University is cracking down on racial and gender ideology in the classroom, months after an instructor went viral for promoting “transgenderism.”

The Texas A&M Board of Regents announced changes on November 13, requiring faculty to adhere to syllabus material and banning the promotion of racial and gender ideology unless a president gives direct permission. 

The recent changes will apply across the 12 universities in the Texas A&M system, according to the release. The board hoped this would align instruction with the “academic mission, values and legal obligations” at both the state and federal levels. 

“The A&M System has a responsibility to be disciplined stewards of taxpayer resources and to ensure that courses serve students, communities and the state effectively,” said Board Chairman Robert Albritton in the press release. “Additionally, we believe these updates also reflect our commitment to academic responsibility.” 

The first change updates System Policy 8.01, clarifying that no academic course may teach “race or gender ideology or topics related to sexual orientation or gender identity” unless a university president approves the course and its materials in advance.

The second change updates System Policy 12.01, ensuring faculty adhere to the approved syllabus for each course, according to the release. They may still discuss relevant subject matters, but are banned from “introducing unrelated topics or teaching material inconsistent with the approved syllabus.” 

President Donald Trump issued an executive order in January, directing the Department of Justice to investigate federal contracts or funding for entities pushing so-called diversity, equity, and inclusion, or DEI.

Republican state Rep. Brian Harrison posted a viral video in September, showing a Texas A&M professor teaching “transgenderism” in a children’s literature class. When a student objected, the teacher removed her from class.

 

When the student raised these issues with then-Texas A&M President Mark Welsh, he told her she was “trying to pick a fight,” according to an undercover video.

“What do you expect us to do, fire her?” he asked. 

“Yes, absolutely, because it goes against –” the student began. 

“Okay, well that’s not happening,” Welsh interjected.

 

After mounting pressure, Welsh resigned weeks later, as The Dallas Express reported at the time. At the time, Texas A&M Chancellor Glenn Hegar praised the former president’s dedication but said it was the “right moment to make a change.”

Texas A&M had continued to offer gender and LGBT-related majors and minors, despite political pressure to scale back the programs, as The Dallas Express previously reported. The university also hid details about a new civics initiative called “Aggie Lyceum,” which raised concerns about DEI.

After the recent changes, Hegar said the policies “offered clear and appropriate direction” to universities in the system.

“Transparency and accountability are essential to our mission. We’re delivering on that commitment and reinforcing confidence in the quality of a Texas A&M education,” he said. “This effort is really about ensuring we balance academic freedom with academic responsibility.”