A man holds a LED candle and an American flag at a Texas A&M University campus vigil.

As the Texas A&M University System — with its 12 universities and 175,000 enrollment — tightens the reins on talking about race and gender in the classroom without approval, we are witnessing one of the state’s most sweeping attempts to restrict speech, academic freedom and free thought in higher education.

Muzzling teachers will effectively shape what students learn about history, identity, race and power. Terms like “advocacy” and "ideology," similar to the politically charged use of “critical race theory,” are being deployed to rally opposition to a problem that largely does not exist — indoctrination in the classroom.

A&M Regent Sam Torn pledged that the university system is "taking a measured approach to this process, and,........

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