ASAN (KXAN) – The governor of Texas Dan Patrick and Speaker of Parliament Dustin Buruz on Friday afternoon announced that they had established committees to address “civil discourse and freedom of expression in higher education” after the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
“Charlie Kirk was my friend,” Patrick said in the statement. “
The selected committees will meet together to study and issue reports on bias, discourse and freedom of expression “in the Texas colleges.
“This committee will help define ways to protect the basic right to freedom of expression on our university campus, including measures to ensure that political gatherings are safe and safe, and its recommendations will direct the decisions of the legislative body’s policy to move forward.”
The Senate Committee chaired the Senator Paul Bitlink, R Huston, with Senator Brian Hughes, R-Tyler, as its vice president; The rest of its members will be Sens. Cesar Blanco, D-Iel Paso, Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, Bob Hall, R-Deegwood, Juan Hinojosa, D-Mcallen and Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham.
In the House of Representatives, the committee will lead MP Terry Wilson, R-GEORGETOWN, with Representative Richard Raymond, D-LAREDO, Vice President. Actors Brad Buckley, R Salado, Caroline Adel, RARLIO, James Frank, R and Chita Fols, Shilby Slouson, R Ganbury, and Sinferonia Thompson, De Husten, remain the rest of the committee.
Patrick said in his release: “The first amendment guarantees freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and contact. It is the first amendment because it is the basis of all our rights,” Patrick said in his release.
Texas A & M faculty has launched the lesson plan
Patrick said in a Friday announcement that he would not tolerate the professors who “chanted” in the killing of Kirk, which he said was the same “chanting for the death of America.” Both are protected by the first amendment.
This is not the first time that Patrick has asked to shoot because of the words he did not agree to. According to a report in 2023 by Texas Tribune, Patrick was requested by the Texas A & M advisor to investigate a professor who criticized him. This professor is still working at the university.
Al -Jahour called the murder and reactions that followed “horrific” and said that both show the need to study “a deeper and systematic problem.”
He said: “Charlie devoted his life to opening a respectable dialogue with those who opposed, and this approach is something that we must all celebrate and fight for protection.”
While the version links the creation of the committees to the assassination of Kirk, the advertisement also comes days after Texas A & M launched many faculty members at a lesson plan.
President A & M Marc A. Wilsh III He said in a statement on Tuesday The professor was studying the content that did not match the description of the course’s catalog, but also “he cannot provide all the details.”
“When it comes to our academic offers, we must continue to believe with our students and with Texas. This is not related to academic freedom; it is related to academic responsibility,” Wilsh said.
The university KXAN asked on Wednesday about the name of the course and described it in the catalog. Texas A & M. Vice President Tim Dotti approved the request, but he did not provide an answer.
Texas Conference of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP -AFT) He issued a statement on Thursday This is what described the decision as an “amazing example” to “seek to undermine the higher education of the state and the federal government” and “weakening academic freedom and freedom of expression in universities.
“It is a horrific thing that a university professor, dean and president in her department were removed from their positions based on viral videos and anger online anger raised by government politicians and the ruler himself,” says the AAUP -Aft statement.
UT policy raised by state law speakers such as Charlie Kirk from “expressive activities”
The Patrick and Geroz Declaration said on Friday that the committees will consider the implementation of the laws of the state that came into effect on September 1: Senate Bill 2972 and 37. The last draft law “Political control is imposed on the basic approach, majors, minors, and certificates, and limits the ability of professors to teach,” according to a chest statement by AAUP -Aft.
SB 2972 It led to changes in universities and public colleges in Texas, such as those in the University of Texas. These changes led to many student groups, who said that new policies violate the first amendment rights, to prosecute the regime and their leaders.
UT spokesman said: “The UT system has not yet reviewed the lawsuit, and because it is the issue of litigation, we are not able to provide an additional comment at this time.” The defendants are usually 21 days to file a response to the lawsuit.
KXan asked the offices of both politicians to comment on the lawsuit on Friday. We will update this story if he replied.
Ut Austin’s new policies prevent external groups and speakers, such as Kirk, from juvenile holding on campus.
This happened on September 4 for a group on the other side of Kirk’s policy: Austin students for a democratic community (SDS). The student organization has invited a local volunteer group, Street Medics Austin, to be prepared for medical assistance during the SDS protest on the UT Austin campus.
However, SDS said that UT Austin staff told the paramedics: departure, or we will contact the UT police.
“The protest was left without a medical team, and UT employees participated with the organizers, and they warned that the law applies to any universities. The SDS branch said in a press statement on Thursday that the protests on the campus.
Mike Rosen, UT Austin Assistant for Media Relations, told KXan on Wednesday that only students, faculty and employees can “engage in expressive activities” on the campus.
“Students, faculty and employees may not invite the public in general to events in the joint external areas or allocated areas while academic and administrative units may continue to invite the general public to their events,” Read the policy related to the school.