Several court hearings and policies affecting education, health and more will roll out in the new year.
Jessica Priest
Jessica Priest covers higher education, working in partnership with Open Campus. She joined the Tribune in 2022 as an engagement reporter in the ProPublica/Texas Tribune joint investigative unit, contributing to a series that was named a Pulitzer Prize finalist in the explanatory reporting category. Prior to the Tribune, Jessica worked for the Fort Worth Report, USA Today, the Victoria Advocate and the Temple Daily Telegram, reporting on topics that included criminal justice, the environment and local government. Her work has often made an impact. The state’s highest criminal court granted a death row inmate a new trial after she detailed a prosecutor’s conflicts of interest. After she exposed questionable hirings and payments at a port and later a water district in another part of the state, both public entities underwent reforms. Jessica was born in Houston and graduated from Sam Houston State University.
Posted in
Higher Education
Texas A&M System declines to reinstate fired lecturer despite faculty panel’s findings
A vice chancellor upheld the firing of Melissa McCoul, seen in a viral video being confronted by a student on her gender identity teachings, saying the termination was done with “good cause.”
Posted in
Higher Education
Texas A&M System tightens restrictions on discussing race and gender in class
Under the new rules, discussions on “race or gender ideology,” sexual orientation or gender identity appear to be barred from introductory-level courses.
Posted in
Higher Education
Texas universities deploy AI tools to review and rewrite how some courses discuss race and gender
Records obtained by The Texas Tribune show how universities are using the technology to reshape curriculum under political pressure, raising concerns about academic freedom.
Posted in
Higher Education
Texas Tech System limits how race and gender can be taught, says faculty could face discipline for noncompliance
Tech, now the second Texas public university system to add similar teaching restrictions, had earlier directed faculty to follow state and federal guidance recognizing only two sexes.
Posted in
Higher Education
Faculty panel: Texas A&M wrongly fired professor after gender lesson
Texas A&M did not have good cause to fire a professor after a video of a gender lesson created a political storm, and the school failed to follow due process, a faculty appeal committee found.
Posted in
Higher Education
UT-Austin still silent on Trump compact after deadline to sign passes
Most other invited universities have rejected the administration’s offer tying priority federal funding to campus policy changes.
Posted in
Higher Education
Texas A&M System to vote on requiring prior approval for lessons that advocate “race and gender ideology”
The proposal appears to mark the first time a Texas university system offers definitions of what kind of instruction related to race and gender should not be permitted.
Posted in
Higher Education
Texas lawmakers say colleges have to balance free speech with duty to keep discourse civil
Legislative panels were created after Republican leaders criticized students mocking or celebrating conservative activities Charlie Kirk’s death.
Posted in
Higher Education
Texas A&M faculty panel report says professor’s firing violated her academic freedom
University officials dispute the faculty council’s conclusion. Melissa McCoul lost her job after a video of a classroom debate went viral.