Texas Tech University has implemented new restrictions on classroom instruction concerning race, gender, and sexual orientation, mirroring recent actions at Texas A&M. The policy, initiated by Chancellor Brandon Creighton, prohibits teaching six race- and sex-related concepts and mandates board review of LGBTQ+-related course content. These restrictions were preceded by Senate Bill 37, which directs boards of regents to review course content. These changes follow a controversy at Texas A&M that led to administrative demotions, a firing, and a resignation due to content deemed inconsistent with school guidelines.
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Texas A&M University President Mark A. Welsh III is resigning amidst controversy surrounding a classroom video and the subsequent firing of a professor. The announcement was made by Texas A&M University System Chancellor Glenn Hegar, who cited the need for change without directly referencing the video. The resignation follows criticism from Republican lawmakers after a student objected to a lesson on gender in children’s literature, leading to the professor’s termination. Welsh’s departure also came after he ordered the removal of other faculty and an audit of courses within the system.
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Texas A&M University President Mark A. Welsh III announced the removal of the dean and department head overseeing a children’s literature course after a video surfaced showing a student’s objections to LGBTQ-related content. The announcement followed backlash from Republican lawmakers and calls for investigations into the professor’s curriculum. University officials stated that the professor failed to align course materials with the published descriptions. This incident occurred amidst growing political pressure and new legislation giving regents more control over curricula in Texas public universities.
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The article highlights the tragic deaths of Porsha Ngumezi and Brenda Yolani Arzu Ramirez, both of whom died due to complications from pregnancy loss after facing delays in receiving crucial medical procedures. Medical experts reviewing the cases agreed that the delays in care, including not providing abortion procedures, contributed to their deaths. The Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee has announced it is not investigating maternal deaths in 2022 and 2023, which has hindered the ability to assess the impact of the state’s abortion restrictions. Obstetricians believe that the fear of repercussions from abortion bans in Texas has influenced medical decision-making, potentially endangering other women.
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Report: More Texans crossed state lines to get an abortion than anywhere in the U.S.
It’s pretty clear, isn’t it? The sheer size of Texas, combined with its restrictive abortion laws, makes it almost inevitable that a significant number of Texans would seek care elsewhere. This report isn’t just a headline; it’s a direct consequence of political choices. The fact that Texas leads in this grim statistic speaks volumes about the state’s policies and their impact on women’s access to healthcare. It is a reality, and the numbers bear it out.
Report: More Texans crossed state lines to get an abortion than anywhere in the U.S.… Continue reading
Hope Ngumezi’s wife died from complications during a miscarriage after Texas’s near-total abortion ban prevented her from receiving necessary medical care, including a D&C procedure. Doctors reportedly hesitated to perform the procedure, fearing legal repercussions under the vaguely defined law. This situation highlights concerns that the law’s ambiguity is contributing to a sharp increase in Texas’s maternal mortality rate, exceeding the national average. While state Senator Bryan Hughes claims most hospitals comply correctly and that removing a miscarriage is not abortion, the law remains unamended, leaving doctors fearing prosecution over providing life-saving care.
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Sepsis, a leading cause of death with severe potential long-term consequences, presents a significant risk to patients experiencing second-trimester miscarriages. This risk escalates rapidly after water breaks or cervical dilation, particularly when fetal cardiac activity is present. The Texas abortion ban has resulted in delayed medical intervention, causing at least two preventable sepsis-related deaths. This tragic outcome has spurred 111 Texas OB-GYNs to urge legislative changes enabling the provision of life-saving care.
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Following Texas’s abortion ban, a sharp increase in infant mortality and abandoned newborns has been observed, with babies found dead in various locations. This surge is directly linked to the abortion ban, compounded by reduced funding for prenatal care and family planning, and fear of deportation among undocumented immigrants seeking medical assistance. Despite a “safe haven” law, lack of funding and awareness campaigns renders it ineffective, highlighting a lack of genuine concern for infant lives by Texas Republicans. Instead of supporting such programs, resources are funneled into crisis pregnancy centers, revealing a prioritization of punishment over the well-being of women and infants.
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Following the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, state abortion bans have led to preventable maternal deaths, with at least five documented cases in Texas and Georgia. Texas’s Maternal Mortality Review Committee is refusing to investigate deaths potentially linked to the abortion ban, citing a backlog, effectively concealing the impact of these restrictions. Similarly, Georgia dismissed its entire Maternal Mortality Review Committee after reports of preventable deaths emerged, hindering future investigations. These actions, coupled with misleading narratives from anti-abortion groups, obstruct a full understanding of the harm caused by abortion bans and threaten further endangerment of pregnant women.
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Texas’s decision to not examine maternal deaths in the years following the abortion ban is a deeply troubling development, raising serious questions about transparency and accountability. The refusal to investigate these deaths directly contradicts any claim of prioritizing the well-being of mothers. This lack of investigation suggests an intentional effort to avoid confronting the potential consequences of the restrictive abortion law.
This deliberate avoidance of data collection creates a concerning parallel to other situations where inconvenient truths have been ignored or suppressed. The comparison to the handling of COVID-19 data, where efforts were made to minimize the severity of the pandemic, is striking.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood