Texas A&M University has canceled a graduate-level ethics course just three days after the semester began. University officials stated the decision was made because the professor, Leonard Bright, did not provide a sufficiently detailed syllabus to determine if the class complied with new system-wide policies regarding discussions on race and gender.
The course, "Ethics and Public Policy," had already met once before it was abruptly removed from the schedule. This action has intensified the debate on campus surrounding academic freedom and the implementation of new administrative oversight on course content.
Key Takeaways
- A graduate ethics course at Texas A&M was canceled after the semester had already started.
- The university cited the professor's failure to provide detailed information on when topics of race and gender would be discussed.
- Professor Leonard Bright argues these topics are integral to the entire course and cannot be confined to specific days.
- The cancellation is a direct result of a new system policy requiring administrative review and potential exemptions for courses covering race, gender, and sexuality.
A Class Cut Short
Students enrolled in Professor Leonard Bright’s Ethics and Public Policy course (PSAA 642) at the Bush School of Government and Public Service attended their first class, only to be informed days later that the course no longer existed for the semester. The university administration made the decision to cancel the class, affecting the ten students who were initially registered.
In a school-wide email, Bush School Dean John Sherman explained that the cancellation was a necessary step under a new system policy. According to Sherman, Professor Bright had declined multiple requests to provide specific information about his planned instruction. This information was required for administrators to assess whether the course needed an official exemption to discuss topics related to race, gender, or sexual orientation.
The Policy at the Center of the Conflict
The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents passed the new policy last year. It was created after a secretly recorded classroom discussion about gender identity gained attention from conservative activists. The policy requires administrative review of course syllabi and mandates that any course venturing into topics of race, gender ideology, or sexual orientation must receive an exemption from high-level university officials to proceed.
Professor's Stance on Integrated Ethics
Professor Bright, who has taught the class since 2018, disputes the administration's characterization of his cooperation. He maintains that the nature of an ethics course makes it impossible to isolate sensitive topics to specific lecture dates. Instead, he argues, these discussions arise organically and are woven into the fabric of the entire curriculum.
“I told them it was going to come up every day,” Bright stated. “During discussions, book reviews, case studies, throughout the course. There is no one day. That’s how this class works.”
The course syllabus for PSAA 642 indicates a curriculum designed to explore how social identities—including race, gender, religion, and sexual orientation—influence public policy and the ethical obligations of public servants. One week was specifically dedicated to equity and social justice, with readings on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), critical race theory, and John Rawls’ “A Theory of Justice.”
Administrative Justification and Broader Impact
Dean Sherman stated that he took “no pleasure” in the cancellation but insisted it was a procedural necessity. He emphasized the importance of transparency and adherence to the established process for syllabus approval. Sherman noted that another Bush School course also required an exemption but was allowed to proceed because its syllabus provided the necessary level of detail.
“I want us to continue to teach hard topics and to engage with controversial issues,” Sherman wrote in his email. “But I also expect us to follow the process laid out for the approval of syllabi... Put simply, transparency does not equal censorship.”
Widespread Course Reviews
The policy's implementation is not limited to the Bush School. The dean of the College of Arts and Sciences recently informed faculty that approximately 200 courses within that college alone could be affected. In a separate incident, a philosophy professor reported being instructed to remove Plato readings related to race and gender or be reassigned to a different class.
The university has said it is actively working with the eight students who remained in Bright's class after he warned them of the potential cancellation to find suitable alternatives before the add-drop deadline on January 28. Notably, this was the only ethics class being offered in the Bush School this semester, leaving a significant gap in the curriculum.
Navigating Academic Freedom and Oversight
The situation highlights a growing tension within Texas public universities. While no state or federal law prohibits the discussion of race, gender, or sexuality in college classrooms, institutional policies are creating new layers of administrative oversight. These policies have been implemented at other institutions as well, including the Texas Tech University System, which has imposed similar restrictions.
Professor Bright is also the president of the Texas A&M Chapter of the American Association of University Professors, a faculty group that has openly opposed the system's new policy on race and gender ideology. His dual role places him at the center of a contentious debate about where the line is drawn between institutional policy and the academic freedom essential for higher education.
University officials maintain that the review process is not about censorship but about ensuring compliance with system policy. Michael Johnson, associate provost for academic enhancement, explained that the framework was designed to be interpreted by faculty and deans within their own academic disciplines, rather than as a “prescriptive, one-size-fits-all directive.”
As the deadline for department submissions for course review passes, the full scope of the policy's impact on the university's curriculum will become clearer. For now, the cancellation of a single ethics course serves as a prominent example of the challenges and conflicts arising from the new academic landscape at Texas A&M.
