Texas A&M professor removes Plato readings after university objects to race, gender content
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A Texas A&M University professor has removed readings by ancient Greek philosopher Plato and other materials related to race and gender from his introductory philosophy course after university administrators threatened reassignment.
The controversy at Texas A&M has reignited a national debate over academic freedom and First Amendment rights in higher education.
Professor Martin Peterson was told by university administrators that he had to remove the materials from his course or face reassignment to other duties.
"This is a fairly cut-and-dry example of undue and inappropriate administrative interference in faculty pedagogical decisions," said Graham Piro, a Faculty Legal Defense Fund Fellow at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
Peterson has decided to remove the contested readings from his course and will replace them with materials on free speech and academic freedom, according to Piro.
"So it does appear, at least the professor's been saying that he has decided to remove the readings from the course. He is going to replace these readings with readings on free speech and academic freedom," Piro said.
The university defended its position in a statement, saying "the professor slated to teach the class had included modules on gender and race ideology."
Texas A&M's Board of Regents approved a new policy in November 2025 that prohibits any course from advocating for race or gender ideology unless course materials are approved in advance by the university president or a designee.
The university noted that "other sections of the same course have been approved, meet learning outcomes and include works by Plato but do not include modules on race and gender ideology."
Some experts argue that higher education is focusing on the wrong issues while more fundamental problems persist in American education.
"We are at about 31% functional literacy in the fourth grade. In other words, our children are reading at a 4th-grade level. This is America. That's pretty shocking," said James Keyes, author of "Education is Freedom."
Keyes believes America needs to change teaching methods to keep pace with available technology.
"Let's step back from this and let's stop this negative narrative and fighting over all of the wrong things," Keyes said.
Texas A&M stated that works by Plato will continue to be taught in several classes this semester and in the future. However, administrators are reviewing all core curriculum courses for compliance with the new policies.
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