Houston Says No To Campus Indoctrination
The University of Houston quietly moved on a hot issue. It sent faculty a pledge. The goal: stop political indoctrination in classrooms.
As first reported at Campus Reform, “The University of Houston (UH) administration recently sent faculty at the school a non-indoctrination form, through which the faculty were instructed to pledge not to ‘indoctrinate’ their students into any particular ideology.” That form asks professors to agree that higher education should boost critical thinking and not push one ideology over another.
The form lists five commitments: that a primary purpose of higher education is to enhance critical thinking; that professors should not indoctrinate students; that the faculty member understands critical thinking; that their courses are designed to improve critical thinking; and that their teaching methods enhance critical thinking. Short. Direct. Hard to argue with on the surface.
This change didn’t come from nowhere. Texas recently passed Senate Bill 37 to let students complain about what they view as “woke” indoctrination. Supporters say the measure restores balance. Critics say it chills free speech.
“For too long, unelected faculty senates have operated behind closed doors, steering curriculum decisions, influencing institutional policy, issuing political statements to divest from Israel, and even organizing votes of ‘no confidence’ that undermine public trust,” said Texas State Sen. Brandon Creighton, a supporter of the legislation, in April.
And there’s more state pressure. Texas Gov. Greg Abbot prohibited Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives by signing Senate Bill 17 in 2023. Abbot’s office explained that he wanted to give “people the opportunity to advance based on talent and merit.” That language reflects a clear push for merit-based policies on campus.
Not everyone is happy. UH’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors drafted a response for faculty who don’t want to sign. Some professors see the form as political interference in teaching. Others say it’s a needed reset.
Either way, UH made a choice to act. The university closed its Gender Studies Center recently too. Expect debate. Expect lawsuits maybe. Expect more colleges to face the same pressure from lawmakers and students.
Colleges should teach students how to think, not what to think. This pledge is a test of whether that ideal can actually hold in today’s politicized campus culture.