TEXAS LEGISLATURE
Senate Chair Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, and House Chair Terry Wilson, R-Georgetown, convened a bi-partisan hearing on civil discourse and freedom of speech in higher education on Nov. 13.
The select committee was formed by Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and Speaker Dustin Burrows following the death of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
In September, Governor Greg Abbott shared a viral video of a Texas State University student mocking the death of Charlie Kirk at a Turning Point USA vigil on the campus. “This conduct is not accepted at our schools,” Abbott said. “Expel this student immediately. Mocking assassination must have consequences.”
The same day the video was posted, Texas State President Kelly Damphousse posted a statement on his Facebook page denouncing the actions of the student, who is no longer enrolled in the university.
Speaking at the hearing, Turning Point USA’s regional representative Ricky Adam said, “I stand here today humbled to continue the mission of a man who changed the way a generation views truth and open dialogue. Charlie was a standard bearer for freedom of speech and he believed in it dearly.”
The committee referenced Kirk’s assassination as well.
“Political assassination cannot be condoned in the United States,” Bettencourt said. “What we’re doing here today is about finding common ground and standing firm that political violence and intimidation have no place in Texas.”
Committee member Donna Campbell, RNew Braunfels, who represents portions of Hays County, talked about what she views as the dangers of free speech which crosses the boundaries of civil discourse.
“Free speech was never intended to protect only the comfortable or popular ideas. It exists to protect the exchange of ideas, even those that challenge us. And I think that’s what our forefathers intended. However, free speech sometimes … at some point can turn into cruelty which can turn into threatening behavior … There is no space for vitriolic spewing of any speech.”
According to Wilson, universities in Texas should provide their students the safe opportunity to freely express their views.
“The people of Texas expect their public universities to uphold the rule of law, to safeguard free expression, and to protect every student’s right to learn in an environment free from fear,” Wilson said. “This committee will work to ensure that.”
Rep. Richard Peña Raymond, D-Laredo, suggested that the way disputes are settled on the legislature floor could serve as an example as the committee seek to provide guidance to universities on free speech policies.
“All of us in here engage in debate and discussion of ideas. And for anyone to ever say it’s okay to to try to hurt someone because you don’t agree with what they said, that doesn’t work. … I think that’s part of what we’re going to try to get to. We’re a great state. We’re a great country. And we will figure it out and we’ll do it in the right way.”
The goal of the committee is not to limit civil discourse at Texas campuses, Raymond said, but to ensure that it continues.
“You when you got appointed to this committee, you heard from someone saying, ‘Well, what is this going to mean? Are we going to shut down free speech?’ Well, I don’t think that’s anyone’s intention,” Raymond said.
As the committee debates the best ways to tackle free speech and civil discourse on university campuses, the appeal of fired Texas State University professor Tom Alter is ongoing.
The university alleges that he made inappropriate statements with his comments at the online Revolutionary Socialism Conference in September, a charge that Alter continues to deny in his suit against the Texas State University System Board of Regents.
On Sept. 10, Texas State University President Kelly Damphousse announced on Facebook that Alter was fired for “serious professional and personal misconduct” after the University reviewed a video of his comments during the conference posted on the social media platform X. Alter was fired a second time following a TXST review of the case.
Bill Mullen, coordinator of the Committee to Defend Tom Alter and Professor Emeritus of American Studies, Purdue University, said that he does not believe that the senate committee will honor the freedom of expression he views as an essential part of free speech on campuses.
”Texas Republicans acting as guardians of free speech is like foxes guarding hen houses. Governor Greg Abbott openly brags of firing political opponents with ‘leftist’ ideas. Tom Alter, a tenured historian and beloved family man, was fired from Texas State University for speaking as a private citizen. Texas A&M fired Melissa McCoul just for talking about gender difference. Texas is the shameful capital of the new American McCarthyism and the destruction of civil liberties for all of us. Decent people everywhere should oppose their witch hunts and bigotry.”
