Short-form communication hurts.

The Texas Tribune published an article about Gov. Greg Abbott’s outrage about Texas A&M’s “sponsoring a trip to a DEI conference”.

Taking five minutes, this is just the same stupid political noise that is hurting far more than it is helping.

The outrage comes in response to a message on X from a random conservative who included screenshots of the e-mail and a bit from the conference on eligibility.

Let’s look at the email. It’s asking for someone to “represent [the] Mays [School of Business]” in the title of the message.

At the end of the screenshot, it says that this is allowed under Senate Bill 17 (banning DEI programs at public universities) because it is outward-focused on recruitment.

Okay, so what is the PhD Project? It’s an effort to encourage more underrepresented groups to strive for doctoral education.

It is diversity-focused, but in context, in terms of recruitment to bring awareness and information to a group on doctoral options.

By “representing Mays,” it is fairly evident that the intent is to attend to help promote the Texas A&M business doctoral programs.

Let’s look at the actual law, SB 17.

Enrolled version of SB 17 as passed and enacted Download

It adds section 51.3525(d)(7) that (b)(1) [which is the text of the actual ban] is not applicable for student recruitment.

Nothing that A&M is doing here indicates that it is giving any preference to anyone, nor that it is establishing any office or program.

This is an obviously allowed activity in a law written, debated, passed, and signed by Texas Republicans, with Gov. Abbott’s insistence and signature.

Social media and short-form communication never provide the nuance needed for these profound real-life topics. When used by bad actors who intentionally use it for this fear-mongering and outrage generation, there is no hope of any discussion to bring this nuance out.

I did not support SB 17, but… the law explicitly allows for what A&M is doing. That isn’t Texas A&M’s fault if you’re mad about that. It’s the people you elected.

#txpolitics