Texas Tech's Vague Restrictions Show You Don't Have To Ban Speech To Silence It

Simon Tam, plaintiff in the landmark Supreme Court case Matal v. Tam, analyzes new restrictions at the Texas Tech University System that faculty argue violate the First and 14th Amendments. The policies require instructors to avoid 'advocacy/promotion' of certain viewpoints, maintain 'neutral' instruction, and submit materials on race, gender identity, or sexual orientation for approval. A Faculty Senate survey found professors altered or were asked to alter material in 277 courses, with half changing content out of concern and over half job-hunting elsewhere. Faculty groups sued on July 8, 2026, arguing the directives are unconstitutionally vague and chill speech. Tam draws parallels to his own experience with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, noting that vague standards cause self-censorship even without formal punishment.