Feb. 22, Michael Harris, professor of higher education and chair of the Department of Education Policy and Leadership in the Simmons School of Education and Human Development at SMU Dallas, for a piece critical of Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s stands on tenure and Critical Race Theory. Published in the Houston Chronicle under the heading Dan Patrick, don’t mess with Texas public universities: https://bit.ly/3BNPljp
On Friday, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a Republican up for re-election, proposed the elimination of tenure 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.
Universities are powerful engines of economic and social improvement in Texas and the nation. Unfortunately, Patrick’s political stunt threatens to do irreparable harm to these institutions.
Patrick may score political points by attacking university faculty, but his proposal would inflict significant damage on Texas students and businesses. And, in the process, he would give politicians unprecedented influence over what’s taught in universities.
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