After public backlash, Texas Tech University has walked back plans to offer a class on ”Witches, Bruxas, & Black Magic” this fall.
As reported by Texas Scorecard earlier this week, the course was described as introducing the “study of beliefs and practices, past and present, associated with magic, witchcraft, spirituality, magic realism, and religion.”
Topics that were to be discussed included “ritual, symbolism, mythology, altered states of consciousness, and healing as well as syncretism, change, and the social roles of these beliefs and practices.
Texas Tech confirmed to Texas Scorecard that the university will no longer be offering the course, following criticism of the offering.
Other public universities in Texas, however, are still set to offer similar classes classified under universities’ women’s and gender studies colleges.
The University of North Texas offers ANTH 4751: Supernatural-Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion, while students at the University of Texas can take HIS 343P: History of Witchcraft.
The controversial classes have sparked conversation on taxpayers’ role in funding public universities. Gov. Greg Abbott recently signed into law Senate Bill 19, which will provide for additional endowment funding at Texas Tech, UNT, Texas State University, and others.
The legislation will go into effect January 1, 2024.
