On Friday, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a Republican up for re-election, proposed the...
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick presides over the State Senate on Jan. 13, 2021, at the State Capitol, in Austin, Texas. He wants to bring forward bills in next year’s legislative session that make it harder for faculty to maintain tenure. On Friday, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a Republican up for re-election,for new faculty hires at all Texas public universities. There’s more: Patrick would enable revocation of tenure for faculty who teach critical race theory.
First, what is tenure? After an extensive, years-long review process to determine mastery and authority in their discipline, faculty are granted tenure. This is an indefinite appointment, meaning professors can only be fired for specific causes and under extraordinary circumstances. While my university, SMU, as a private university is not subject to such a law, this proposal will have a chilling effect on faculty across the state. As a professor who studies higher education, I occasionally teach ideas that my university may not like such as critiquing one of the university’s financial strategies. Tenure allows me to decide what I need to teach and what my students need to learn so they can contribute to the greater good and be successful in their careers.
Without a doubt, universities in other states will take advantage of Patrick’s proposal to raid the best faculty from Texas universities. This brain drain will hurt the Texas economy for decades. I understand Patrick doesn’t like CRT. He is free to criticize it, but our world is complicated. No one should have the luxury of canceling ideas. Students need to understand the hows and whys of society and it is our job as faculty to teach them.