美国大学教授协会及其德州分会于7月8日向德州埃尔帕索联邦地区法院对德州理工大学系统提起诉讼 [1]，指控系统主任Brandon Creighton及九名董事会成员通过备忘录指令对医学课程进行审查和修改，限制了关于性别、种族、性别认同和性取向等主题的教学 [1]。
据悉，德州理工大学系统评审了约8,500门课程，其中约500门被董事会审查 [1]。指令备忘录分别发布于2025年12月和2026年4月 [1]。诉讼指控这些措施违反了第一修正案的学术自由权。具体而言，埃尔帕索医学院的一名匿名教师被指示不使用"disparity"（医疗差异）一词 [1]，而医学院校官员更是告诉教授不要在医学生面前为跨性别患者服务 [1]。
原告律师Antonio Ingram II表示，上述指令禁止讨论少数族裔的健康不平等 [1]。诉讼方还援引先例指出，美国第11巡回上诉法院曾以2-1的多数裁定佛罗里达州Stop W.O.K.E.法违反第一修正案 [1]。
The American Association of University Professors and its Texas chapter filed suit on July 8 against the Texas Tech University System, challenging curriculum directives issued by system Chancellor Brandon Creighton that restrict classroom discussion of gender, race, gender identity, and sexual orientation [1]. The lawsuit, brought with support from Lambda Legal and the Legal Defense Fund, targets alleged modifications to medical school coursework at Texas Tech's El Paso campus that prohibit discussion of health disparities affecting minority populations [1].
According to the plaintiffs' legal team, the directives violate First Amendment protections for academic freedom [1]. One anonymous instructor at the medical school was specifically directed not to use the word "disparity" in teaching materials [1]. Medical school officials also allegedly instructed faculty not to demonstrate care for transgender patients in front of medical students, according to plaintiff attorney Antonio Ingram II [1].
The Texas Tech System conducted a review of approximately 8,500 courses, with about 500 of those courses subject to board examination [1]. Memoranda containing the curriculum directives were issued in December 2025 and April 2026 [1]. The lawsuit names Chancellor Creighton and nine board members as defendants [1].
The challenge draws on precedent from the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled 2-1 in 2025 that Florida's Stop W.O.K.E. Act violated the First Amendment [1].