LUBBOCK, Texas — The National American Association of University Professors and the Texas Chapter of the American Association of University Professors filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday against Texas Tech University, challenging mandatory course review policies that they say violate the First Amendment and discriminate against faculty.
The lawsuit challenges two memorandums issued by Chancellor Brandon Creighton in December 2025 and April 2026 that require professors to submit courses for review if they include content related to race, sex, gender identity or sexual orientation. Under the policy, faculty members must either submit those courses for review or remove the material.
The faculty organizations argue the policies are unconstitutionally vague, restrict academic freedom and discriminate against Black faculty members.
The lawsuit also alleges that language Creighton previously proposed while serving in the Texas Senate reappeared in the university memorandums after he became chancellor in 2025.
Attorney Antonio Ingram, who is representing the plaintiffs, said the policies discriminate based on viewpoint.
“This is based on a viewpoint,” Ingram said. “This is based on discrimination against populations that have ideas that the Chancellor finds to be disfavorable, and that is unconstitutional.”
Texas Chapter of the American Association of University Professors President Teresa Klein said the policies interfere with faculty members’ ability to teach.
“We want to make sure that this is quality education for our students,” Klein said. “American universities are stronger because they have academic freedom.”
The plaintiffs are asking the court to issue preliminary and permanent injunctions blocking Texas Tech from enforcing the two memorandums or adopting similar policies while the case proceeds.
