PRESS RELEASE: RIP UT: Donors Strike, Students to Stage Funeral for Academic Freedom at Regents Meeting—Wednesday, May 20, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 15, 2026

Contact: Cameron Samuels

press@studentsengaged.org

RIP UT: Donors Strike, Students to Stage Funeral

for Academic Freedom at Regents Meeting

AUSTIN, TX — On Wednesday, May 20 at the University of Texas System Board of Regents meeting, Students Engaged in Advancing Texas (SEAT) and partners will stage a funeral, marking what organizers describe as the "death by a thousand cuts" to academic freedom and higher education in Texas.

Simultaneously, major donors have begun pledging to withdraw individual giving and decline future monetary contributions until the university takes significant steps to protect academic freedom and the rights of all students, faculty, and staff. Initial pledge-takers include alumni in business, real estate, film, education, and elected office.

Next week’s funeral follows a similar demonstration by SEAT at Texas Tech University in Lubbock earlier this month, which featured a memorial wake, eulogy remarks, and a procession across campus. Visual elements included funeral attire and a horse-drawn carriage carrying an urn and books, photographs, and other markers of academic life.

Academic freedom, long considered a cornerstone of higher education, has succumbed after what can only be described as a slow and deliberate erosion. Its decline was not sudden. There was no single moment of collapse, no dramatic final breath. Instead, it endured a death by increments — policy by policy, decision by decision — until the thing itself became unrecognizable.

"Proclaiming the death of UT and its spirit of academic freedom is serious and not taken lightly. But 150 years after our university was chartered, the time has come. For the world’s second wealthiest university, the decisions made by regents and administrators have grave consequences that echo far beyond Texas. They have brought this upon us recklessly and without regard for our dignity and humanity," said Cameron Samuels (they/them), SEAT executive director and student at UT’s School of Law and LBJ School of Public Affairs. "Students are mourning the loss of a university once considered a beacon of truth, opportunity, and a guardian genius of democracy. What’s gone is not forgotten."

The University of Texas fell to a death by a thousand cuts:

• anti-DEI layoffs and grant abandonment (2024)

• state-sanctioned violence against students (2024) 

• ban on campus drag performances (2025)

• the elimination of ethnic and gender studies (2026)

• suspensions against student expression (2026)

• prohibition of controversial topics (2026)

• unprecedented administrative turnover (2026)

• and that's just to name a few...

WHEN & WHERE:

• Wednesday, May 20, 2026

• 11 AM - Memorial Wake (110 Inner Campus Dr, Austin)

• 11:30 AM - Funeral Procession (via Guadalupe, 11th, and Congress)

• 12:30 PM - Eulogy Remarks (210 W 7th St, Austin)

• 1 PM - Testimony at the Regents Meeting (210 W 7th St, Austin)

• 4:45 PM - Regents Meeting Recesses

WHO:

• Cameron Samuels (they/them), SEAT executive director and UT graduate student

• Adrian Lara (he/him), UTSA freshman in the REGSS department

• Daniel Ramirez, UT sophomore wrongfully suspended for free expression

• Karma Chavez (she/her), president of AAUP at UT Austin

• And more

The university and its spirit of academic freedom is survived by those who still insist on asking difficult questions — and by those who believe universities should remain places where such questions are not only allowed, but exalted. May she rest in peace.

###

About Students Engaged in Advancing Texas

SEAT is a movement of young people developing transferable skills and demonstrating youth visibility in policymaking. Advocating for a seat at the table, SEAT is normalizing the presence of students in educational policymaking – nothing about us, without us.

TX and National Child Health Experts File Amicus Brief in Supreme Court Describing Traumatic Impact of DACA Rescission on Recipients’ Children

The Children’s Defense Fund of Texas and the Texas Pediatric Society have just put out this press release that makes a strong case against cancelling DACA.  Reach out to whoever represents you to let them know just how traumatic ending DACA will be to recipients' children.  -Angela

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 7, 2019

Contact: Lynn Tramonte (latramonte@gmail.com/202-255-0551) OR Tom Salyers (tsalyers@clasp.org/202-906-8002)

TX and National Child Health Experts File Amicus Brief in Supreme Court Describing Traumatic Impact of DACA Rescission on Recipients’ Children 

Cancelling DACA would harm 250,000 children in U.S.,

including 46,700 in Texas

Washington, DC - At least a quarter of a million young children—including 46,700 in Texas—would be harmed developmentally, psychologically, and economically by the cancellation of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The Trump administration failed to consider their interests when repealing the program in 2017.

On Friday, Children’s Defense Fund, TX and Texas Pediatric Society joined nearly three dozen other organizations and leaders in filing an amicus brief (appendix here) with the U.S. Supreme Court, asking the court to consider the impact of rescinding DACA on beneficiaries’ children, who are U.S. citizens. Oral arguments are scheduled for November 12, 2019.

The DACA case affects children and families in every state, but Texas is home to one of the largest numbers. More quotes from national and state leaders can be found here.

As the brief explains, society has a moral imperative to protect children from harm; this imperative is recognized in numerous laws and policies, including the Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018. Failing to consider the needs of these children puts their futures in jeopardy, to the obvious detriment of the communities in which they live. 

The “friend of the court” brief states: “The imminent threat of losing DACA protection places children at risk of losing parental nurturance, as well losing income, food security, housing, access to health care, educational opportunities, and the sense of safety and security that is the foundation of healthy child development.”

Patrick Bresette, Executive Director of Children's Defense Fund - Texas, said: "As an organization dedicated to the health and wellbeing of all children in Texas, we are alarmed at the devastating harm that rescinding DACA would cause. We work every day to help families connect their children to affordable health coverage and many of those families include DACA parents. In communities across our state nearly 50,000 children are in such households. We should be doing everything we can to support and protect these young families, not threatening their futures."

In the amicus brief, Texas Pediatric Society wrote: “TPS agrees with the AAP that the future prosperity and well-being of the United States depends on the health and vitality of all of its children, without exception. TPS has consistently and firmly stated that children who are citizens should not be subjected to the separation, or fear of separation from non-citizen parents or their caregivers.”

The brief was co-authored by Persyn Law & Policy and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP for the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Center for Law and Social Policy, and other children’s advocacy organizations, medical professionals, and child development experts.

Kyle Yasuda, MD, FAAP and President of the American Academy of Pediatrics said: “Rescinding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy would have multi-generational health consequences; it not only impacts the DACA recipients themselves, but also their children. When children live in fear of their family being separated, it can have detrimental effects on their health and development, both in the short- and long-term. As pediatricians, we know children fare best when they can grow up in supportive families and thrive.”

Olivia Golden, Executive Director of the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), said: "CLASP recognizes the critical role the DACA program has played in pulling entire families out of poverty and promoting the healthy development of children. We also know from our 2018 research report that harmful immigration policies—like the Administration’s decision to terminate the DACA program—are subjecting young children to fear, instability, and reduced access to critical health and nutrition supports. We urge the Supreme Court to consider what’s at stake for hundreds of thousands of our youngest citizens and the future of our country should the DACA program be rescinded."

"The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children gratefully joins many of this nation's leading child advocacy organizations in opposing the needless termination of DACA, a critically important protection afforded to persons who arrived in the United States as children and have made lives and families here in the only home they know. The trauma that is being inflicted on the children of DACA recipients by even the threat of their parents' deportation is cruel and serves no meaningful public policy purpose. Over time, these children and the communities in which they live will suffer greatly from this pointless infliction of harm,” stated David Corwin, President of the APSAC Board; Janet Rosenzweig, Executive Director; and Frank Vandervort, Chair of the Amicus Committee.

Read the amicus brief filed in United States Department of Homeland Security v. Regents of the University of California; Donald J. Trump, President of the United States v. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; and Kirsten M. Nielsen, Secretary of Homeland Security v. Martin Jonathan Batalla Vidal[consolidated cases] here, with appendix.

Additional data about the economic contributions and family ties of DACA beneficiaries in Texas can be found here.

REQUEST FOR COVERAGE: 3rd Annual Statewide Summit on Mexican American Studies for Texas Schools

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JUNE 27, 2018

REQUEST FOR COVERAGE

WHAT: The National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies (NACCS) Tejas Foco Committee on Mexican American Studies (MAS) Pre-K–12 presents the 3rd Statewide Summit on Mexican American Studies for Texas Schools 2018 (see tentative program schedule below). The MAS Summit is free and open to all educators and community members who are interested in implementing Mexican American Studies in Texas schools. Free breakfast and lunch will be provided for all registrants. Texas teachers will be eligible to receive up to 8 hours of Continuing Education Credit for attending and participating.

Register at this link: https://bit.ly/2rQHf6j

The goals of the Statewide Summit on MAS for Texas Schools 2018 are: to give teachers and administrators tangible information on how to implement MAS in their classrooms and schools; to identify institutional barriers, establish priorities, and develop plans of action for the implementation of Mexican American Studies in Texas schools from Pre-K to 12th grade; and to increase access to MAS courses and content within the broader community.
Teachers and experts in the field of Mexican American Studies will facilitate hands-on workshops and breakout sessions on various topics, including: the current state of MAS from Pre-K-12th grade in Texas and the recent historic vote by the Texas State Board of Education to approve a MAS course for high school students; best practices and the development of curriculum, textbooks/instructional materials, teacher training, and other in-school programs for Elementary/Pre-K-5th grade, Middle and High Schools; Community-Based MAS programs; and MAS Political/Media strategies.
WHEN: Saturday, June 30, 2018, 8am-5pm
WHERE: Northwest Vista College Palmetto Center for the Arts 3535 N. Ellison Dr., San Antonio, TX 78207

CONTACT: Juan Tejeda, 210.710.8537, juantejeda@sbcglobal.net

Call to Action: Reject Offensive Textbook at the meeting of the State Board of Education

MARK YOUR CALENDARS.

Join the Responsible Ethnic Studies Textbook Coalition on Tuesday, Sept. 13, as we rally to call on the Texas State Board of Education to #RejectTheText. Following the rally, the board will meet to hear from the public on the proposed Mexican-American studies textbook that scholars and experts have said is deeply offensive, full of errors and offers a simplistic and distorted portrait of Mexican-Americans.

What: A rally calling on the Texas State Board of Education to #RejectTheText
When: Tuesday, September 13, 9:30 a.m. to about 1:00 p.-mish
Where: William B. Travis Building, 1701 N. Congress, 78701
Other info: Registration not required; just show up and be ready to shout!

If you can't make it to the rally, you can provide public comment BY SEPTEMBER 2.  TODAY

Featured rally speakers will include academics and scholars, elected officials from the Texas Legislature, activists and representatives from REST Coalition members.

Interested in testifying at the board meeting? The registration period for those wishing to testify will open soon. Info:
http://bit.ly/1EWpFxc

Parking information for the rally: Street parking at meters - bring coins as credit card machines may not be available. Paid parking at the Bob Bullock Museum (1800 N CongressAve) for $8 / day.

To learn more about the textbook and why it should be rejected, as
well as how to take action if you're unable to come to Austin for the
rally, visit MASforTexas.org.

Check out the latest REST Coalition statement below:


#TxEd #MAStexas  #LibrotraficanteNation  #EdPolicy #LatEdPolicy

NAEP DATA CONTRADICT BUSH ADMINISTRATION EDUCATION CLAIMS;

PRESS RELEASE

Dr. Monty Neill  (617) 864-4810 
or Bob Schaeffer (239) 395-6773
 for immediate release, Tuesday, September 25, 2007

NAEP DATA CONTRADICT BUSH ADMINISTRATION EDUCATION CLAIMS;
“NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND” HAS NOT LED TO FASTER SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT
 
    Bush Administration claims about the controversial “No Child Left Behind” (NCLB) law are undermined by data from its own Department of Education, according to an analysis of newly released National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) scores by the National Center for Fair & Open Testing (FairTest). “NAEP shows educational improvement across the nation slowed significantly since NCLB went into effect,” said FairTest co-Executive Director Monty Neill. “This happened despite the fact that curriculum narrowed in many schools to little more than test preparation in reading and math”
     “Gains from 2000 to 2003, before NCLB went into effect, were significantly greater than they were from 2003 to 2007, when NCLB was the law,” Neill continued. “That deflates the administration’s claims that federal law is driving school improvement. For example, black students’ 4th grade math scores jumped from 203 to 216 in the three years before NCLB took effect, then edged up to 222 from 2003 to 2007.”
     FairTest also cited today's National Assessment Governing Board news release on National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) score trends, which acknowledges:
 - “[Mathematics] gains made since 2003 are . . . not as large as those realized during some earlier period.”
 -  “The average 8th-grade reading score . . . remains below the level of achievement shown in 2002.”
     “The administration continues to cherry-pick test scores to defend its deeply flawed education policy,” said Neill. “There are much better ways to improve educational quality and equity. Congress should listen to the more than 140 national education, civil rights and religious organizations that have come together to call for an overall of this damaging federal law."
- - 3 0 - -
The multi-organizational statement calling for an overhaul of “No Child Left Behind” and other assessment reform materials are available at http://www.fairtest.org
 
Monty Neill, Ed.D.
Co-Executive Director
FairTest
342 Broadway
Cambridge, MA 02139
617-864-4810    fax 617-497-2224
monty@fairtest.org
http://www.fairtest.org