A group of Texas A&M University System professors has filed a federal lawsuit challenging new policies that restrict how race, gender, and sexual orientation can be discussed in the classroom. The lawsuit, filed Monday, seeks to block the implementation of rules introduced by the university system’s Board of Regents in November 2025, arguing they violate faculty members’ First and Fourteenth Amendment rights. The lawsuit names the system's nine regents and is supported by the national American Association of University Professors (AAUP).

Under the contested policies, faculty members are prohibited from teaching courses that “advocate race or gender ideology, or topics related to sexual orientation or gender identity” without prior approval. Such approval requires demonstrating that the course material serves a “necessary educational purpose” and generally applies only to graduate or non-core classes. The policy defines “race ideology” as attempting to shame a particular race or ethnicity or promoting activism rather than academic instruction. “Gender ideology” is described as the belief that self-identified gender identity should replace biological sex or hold greater legitimacy. The policy forbids advocacy of these topics but does not clearly define “advocacy” or what qualifies as a necessary educational purpose.

Four professors—Leonard Bright, Vanita Reddy, Landon Sadler, and Aaron George—argue that the policies are overly vague and censor academic freedom, leading to canceled or altered courses. The suit claims the rules have created a restrictive environment, referred to as a “pall of orthodoxy,” limiting the range of permissible viewpoints and impacting scholarly inquiry systemwide. For example, Reddy and Sadler’s planned fall 2026 course on LGBTQ literature was reportedly canceled without explanation or opportunity for syllabus review. Sadler was also required to remove the movie Moonlight from an English course, while George was asked to exclude readings on LGBTQ rights and racial injustice but allowed to retain conservative materials such as Phyllis Schlafly’s “What’s Wrong with Equal Rights for Women?” The lawsuit alleges the policy permits content favoring traditional gender roles while suppressing differing perspectives.

University officials defend the policies as necessary to maintain academic standards and ensure that students learn material aligned with their professional fields. Regent Sam Torn stated the board seeks to prevent deviation from the "accepted body of knowledge," describing the rules as a way to distinguish between “educating, rather than advocating.” A spokesperson for the Texas A&M System called the lawsuit “without merit” and affirmed the institution’s commitment to defending its policies and supporting students.

The enforcement of the policies has led to the review of approximately 5,400 course syllabi systemwide and the cancellation of six courses. The controversy intensified after a state lawmaker posted a video of a professor discussing gender identity, which Chancellor Glenn Hegar described as “indoctrination.” The incident resulted in the professor’s termination and the resignation of then-President Mark A. Welsh III.

This lawsuit marks the second major legal challenge against Texas university systems over curriculum restrictions, following a similar suit filed in July against the Texas Tech University System. The professors and their legal counsel, including the ACLU of Texas and the American Civil Liberties Foundation, argue that the policies’ vagueness and expansive reach threaten free academic discourse at a public university with more than 175,000 students across its 12 campuses.