A political science textbook published by Texas A&M promotes the LGBT ideology around allowing males into female spaces.
In the fall of 2019, Texas A&M published “Comparing the States and Communities: A STEM Approach to Politics, Government and Policy in the United States.” It’s the textbook for the undergraduate State & Local Government course at the Texas A&M Bush School of Government & Public Service. This school trains students for government service.
Written by Dr. Harvey J. Tucker, professor emeritus at the Texas A&M Bush School, the textbook promotes the idea that allowing biological males into female spaces protects “transgender people.”
On pages 189 to 191, Tucker defended an ordinance in Charlotte, North Carolina, that allowed biological men into women’s restrooms by criticizing a subsequent state law requiring individuals to use the designated restroom of their birth sex.
Tucker claimed the ordinance “protected transgender people who use public restrooms based on their gender identity.” He then framed the responding state law as “sweeping” and wrote that it “reversed a Charlotte ordinance that had extended some rights to people who are gay or transgender.”
Tucker also wrote that “the new law also nullified local ordinances around the state that would have expanded protections for the LGBT community.”
Tucker then targeted Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick for trying to protect female spaces in 2016. “On May 30, 2016, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick on Tuesday escalated his battle against guidelines in Texas and across the country that allow students to use the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity,” he wrote.
Texas A&M publishing a textbook that adopts the LGBT framing of this issue is in contrast to the university’s marketing and image. It’s known as a conservative institution and unique from other universities. TAMU alumni Tracy Shannon expressed disgust at the textbook’s framing.
“This is an absolute attack on women’s ability to engage in society. If we cannot trust that bathrooms are safe, then women are on a urinary leash, unable [to] leave our homes for very long because we may need a restroom,” she told Texas Scorecard. “TAMU and any university promoting this type of policy is advocating for the erasure of women’s rights in a covert manner. Shame on TAMU.”
Adopting such framing also contradicts the TAMU Code of Ethical Conduct. It states that board members and TAMU employees “shall be honest and ethical in their conduct and the performance of their duties.”
Texas Scorecard asked TAMU and the Texas A&M University System for comment. No response was received before publication.
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