A trade association for left-wing faculty has sued the Texas Tech University System in federal court. The lawsuit seeks an end to recent policy changes prohibiting certain forms of race‑ or sex‑based advocacy and phasing out programs that have previously used such content.
The complaint, filed by the American Association of University Professors, alleges Texas Tech’s new policies violate the First Amendment and the Fourteenth Amendment.
The group is specifically challenging two memos by Texas Tech System Chancellor Brandon Creighton.
Creighton issued the first memo, “on Course Content Oversight and Review,” in December 2025. He issued the second, “on University System Course Content Guidelines,” in April 2026.
The dispute centers on system-wide curriculum policies that mandate a stringent audit and review of educational topics related to race, sexual preference, and gender identity. AAUP alleges that these directives bar faculty members from teaching established historical facts and scholarly texts in core undergraduate classes.
AAUP argues these protocols sidestep the system’s traditional, multilayered peer curriculum review process.
The group further alleges that the implementation of the directives has generated widespread confusion, fear, and arbitrary enforcement across member campuses. Administrators have reportedly struggled to clearly define vague terms like “advocacy” or provide consistent parameters for what materials are prohibited.
AAUP requested three distinct counts for relief, starting with a First Amendment claim arguing that the directives impose government-preferred orthodoxies through unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination. Second, the plaintiffs contend that the policies are void for vagueness under the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause, as they lack discernible enforcement standards and encourage arbitrary interpretation. Finally, the suit alleges an Equal Protection violation, arguing that the directives were intentionally motivated by race to erase black history.
“The Texas Tech University System is confident our policies are lawful, constitutionally sound, and fully compliant with state and federal law,” a Texas Tech representative told Texas Scorecard in a statement.
The Texas Tech University System consists of three academic institutions and two health care institutions. It is overseen by a Board of Regents appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Texas Senate. Cody Campbell of Fort Worth is the current board chairman.
