TX Observer: “On Friday, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick announced he would seek to abolish tenure for professors at Texas’ public universities, the latest in an ongoing GOP attack on public education.
“What we will propose to do is end tenure, all tenure for all new hires,” said Patrick, whose proposal would eliminate tenure for new hires and require those who have it to undergo a review every year rather than every six. “The law will change to say teaching critical race theory is prima facie evidence of good cause for tenure revocation.”
Speaking at the Capitol, Patrick was responding to a recent non-binding resolution from the faculty council at The University of Texas at Austin striking back at the state’s law banning the teaching of “critical race theory,” which Governor Greg Abbott signed in June.
“The Faculty Council resolutely rejects any attempts by bodies external to the faculty to restrict or dictate the content of university curriculum on any matter, including matters related to racial and social justice, and will stand firm against any and all encroachment on faculty authority including by the legislature or the Board of Regents,” noted the statement, which the faculty approved by a vote of 41 to 5 with three abstentions at a meeting on February 14.”