{"id":1111,"date":"2026-07-10T14:40:59","date_gmt":"2026-07-10T14:40:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=1111"},"modified":"2026-07-10T14:40:59","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T14:40:59","slug":"exclusive-texas-anti-dei-college-crackdown-may-have-its-first-target","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=1111","title":{"rendered":"EXCLUSIVE: Texas\u2019 Anti-DEI College Crackdown May Have Its First Target"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<div>\n<p>An office launched by the State of Texas to investigate banned diversity, equity, and inclusion practices at universities has launched its first investigation, according to a complaint obtained by The Daily Wire.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=1109\">The Quiet Diplomatic Push That Could Change Everything<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The probe centers on a complaint filed by a former student at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, who alleges that the school is operating \u201ca shadow D.E.I. program in violation of state law.\u201d The complaint also alleges that university employees \u201cdiscriminate against conservatives \u2026 and those that they perceive do not support D.E.I. or leftist political beliefs.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The state launched the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Office of the Ombudsman last year to serve as a watchdog for universities to ensure they are not violating anti-DEI laws. The office has since begun accepting complaints from students, faculty, and employees.<\/p>\n<p>The office can push to withhold state funding from schools found to have violated state law that have failed to address the issues, according to The Texas Tribune.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Office of the Ombudsman enforces key Texas higher education laws that prohibit divisive practices and unconstitutional discrimination as well as ensure accountability for important personnel and curriculum decisions at public universities,\u201d\u00a0Brandon L. Simmons, who leads the office, told The Daily Wire.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe take every complaint seriously and will fully investigate allegations of potential violations. Our work helps protect a fair learning environment in which Texas students are treated equally under the law,\u201d Simmons said.<\/p>\n<p>The complaint at the center of the office\u2019s first investigation is heavily redacted, leaving many details unclear.<\/p>\n<p>In one alleged incident, the former student claimed that a campus peer tutoring office sought \u201cto restrict political speech following Charlie Kirk\u2019s assassination.\u201d After Kirk\u2019s killing, university staff informed students in the tutoring office that \u201cwe\u2019re a political free zone,\u201d the former student\u2019s attorney, Tanner Franklin, told The Daily Wire.<\/p>\n<p>Franklin is representing the ex-student alongside State Rep. Briscoe Caine.<\/p>\n<p>The ex-student responded to the group message, saying, \u201cI appreciate \u2026 that we\u2019re not going to be political, but that\u2019s not what\u2019s happening in reality,\u201d referring to other tutors who wore \u201cclothing with obvious political slogans such as \u2018No person can be illegal on stolen land\u2019 and \u2018From the River to the Sea,&#8217;\u201d a Palestinian chant for wiping Israel off the map.<\/p>\n<p>He was subsequently fired from the tutoring office.<\/p>\n<p>Franklin said that he believes the university retaliated against his client.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHis point was that\u2019s fine if you want to be viewpoint neutral, that\u2019s fine, but you actually have to be viewpoint neutral. And in response, they deleted his comment immediately from the group and basically sent him a message separately, saying, \u2018Well, we\u2019ll handle it.\u2019 And that was it. And then a week and a half later, he basically gets fired,\u201d Franklin said.<\/p>\n<p>In another instance, the ex-student said he was punished for asking a transgender student for their legal name when taking attendance. The transgender student would not provide their name, which was on the class roster, and only gave their preferred name.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=1108\">SEE IT: Court Accidentally Shows Tyler Robinson\u2019s Confession Note To Trans Lover<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat student went and complained that my client was essentially being mean to him,\u201d Franklin said.<\/p>\n<p>The complainant and his attorney subsequently met with university officials to air his concerns.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI left the meeting hopeful that SFA took my reports seriously and would take proper, and immediate action to address these serious issues. Unfortunately, that was not the case,\u201d the student said in the complaint.<\/p>\n<p>The school provided the former student with an \u201cupdate\u201d more than a week after the meeting took place, informing him that they \u201cwould be \u2018firming up dress code expectations.&#8217;\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The university\u2019s general counsel also told the former student that university employees \u201cdid not know what \u2018From the River to the Sea\u2019 meant.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis fell far short of the full and transparent investigation that I requested and certainly did not hold anyone accountable,\u201d the complaint reads.<\/p>\n<p>As a result of the university\u2019s actions and alleged failure to address the situation, the former student chose not to \u201cwalk at his graduation\u201d out of concern about further retaliation, Franklin said, adding that his client \u201cwas just so disheartened with how the university had handled this process.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Franklin hopes that the ombudsman\u2019s office can push for greater accountability.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe appreciate the Office of the Ombudsman for taking this complaint seriously and conducting a thorough investigation. Our client\u2019s courageous decision to file this complaint is a critical step toward holding rogue university officials accountable,\u201d the attorney said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe must ensure that the free speech rights of Texas students are protected and that any restrictions on speech are applied in a viewpoint-neutral manner. The Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and the Legislature\u2019s conservative majority have made it clear: Texans are tired of conservative student voices being silenced and targeted at our taxpayer-funded institutions. When it happens, there will be consequences,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p>In a statement, the university said it \u201ccomplies with all state and federal laws,\u201d adding that \u201cif there is a governmental investigation, the university will fully cooperate.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=1105\">Israel Warns U.S. Of New Iranian Plot To Assassinate Trump: Report<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An office launched by the State of Texas to investigate banned diversity, equity, and inclusion practices at universities has launched its first investigation, according to a complaint obtained by The Daily Wire.The probe centers on a complaint filed by a former student at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, who alleges that the school is operating \u201ca shadow D.E.I. program in violation of state law.\u201d The complaint also alleges that university employees \u201cdiscriminate against conservatives \u2026 and those that they perceive do not support D.E.I. or leftist political beliefs.\u201dThe state launched the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Office of the Ombudsman last year to serve as a watchdog for universities to ensure they are not violating anti-DEI laws. The office has since begun accepting complaints from students, faculty, and employees.The office can push to withhold state funding from schools found to have violated state law that have failed to address the issues, according to The Texas Tribune.\u201cThe Office of the Ombudsman enforces key Texas higher education laws that prohibit divisive practices and unconstitutional discrimination as well as ensure accountability for important personnel and curriculum decisions at public universities,\u201d\u00a0Brandon L. Simmons, who leads the office, told The Daily Wire.\u201cWe take every complaint seriously and will fully investigate allegations of potential violations. Our work helps protect a fair learning environment in which Texas students are treated equally under the law,\u201d Simmons said.The complaint at the center of the office\u2019s first investigation is heavily redacted, leaving many details unclear.In one alleged incident, the former student claimed that a campus peer tutoring office sought \u201cto restrict political speech following Charlie Kirk\u2019s assassination.\u201d After Kirk\u2019s killing, university staff informed students in the tutoring office that \u201cwe\u2019re a political free zone,\u201d the former student\u2019s attorney, Tanner Franklin, told The Daily Wire.Franklin is representing the ex-student alongside State Rep. Briscoe Caine.The ex-student responded to the group message, saying, \u201cI appreciate \u2026 that we\u2019re not going to be political, but that\u2019s not what\u2019s happening in reality,\u201d referring to other tutors who wore \u201cclothing with obvious political slogans such as \u2018No person can be illegal on stolen land\u2019 and \u2018From the River to the Sea,&apos;\u201d a Palestinian chant for wiping Israel off the map.He was subsequently fired from the tutoring office.Franklin said that he believes the university retaliated against his client.\u201cHis point was that\u2019s fine if you want to be viewpoint neutral, that\u2019s fine, but you actually have to be viewpoint neutral. And in response, they deleted his comment immediately from the group and basically sent him a message separately, saying, \u2018Well, we\u2019ll handle it.\u2019 And that was it. And then a week and a half later, he basically gets fired,\u201d Franklin said.In another instance, the ex-student said he was punished for asking a transgender student for their legal name when taking attendance. The transgender student would not provide their name, which was on the class roster, and only gave their preferred name.\u201cThat student went and complained that my client was essentially being mean to him,\u201d Franklin said.The complainant and his attorney subsequently met with university officials to air his concerns.\u201cI left the meeting hopeful that SFA took my reports seriously and would take proper, and immediate action to address these serious issues. Unfortunately, that was not the case,\u201d the student said in the complaint.The school provided the former student with an \u201cupdate\u201d more than a week after the meeting took place, informing him that they \u201cwould be \u2018firming up dress code expectations.&apos;\u201dThe university\u2019s general counsel also told the former student that university employees \u201cdid not know what \u2018From the River to the Sea\u2019 meant.\u201d\u201cThis fell far short of the full and transparent investigation that I requested and certainly did not hold anyone accountable,\u201d the complaint reads.As a result of the university\u2019s actions and alleged failure to address the situation, the former student chose not to \u201cwalk at his graduation\u201d out of concern about further retaliation, Franklin said, adding that his client \u201cwas just so disheartened with how the university had handled this process.\u201dFranklin hopes that the ombudsman\u2019s office can push for greater accountability.\u201cWe appreciate the Office of the Ombudsman for taking this complaint seriously and conducting a thorough investigation. Our client\u2019s courageous decision to file this complaint is a critical step toward holding rogue university officials accountable,\u201d the attorney said.\u201cWe must ensure that the free speech rights of Texas students are protected and that any restrictions on speech are applied in a viewpoint-neutral manner. The Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and the Legislature\u2019s conservative majority have made it clear: Texans are tired of conservative student voices being silenced and targeted at our taxpayer-funded institutions. When it happens, there will be consequences,\u201d he added.In a statement, the university said it \u201ccomplies with all state and federal laws,\u201d adding that \u201cif there is a governmental investigation, the university will fully cooperate.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1110,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1111","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>EXCLUSIVE: Texas\u2019 Anti-DEI College Crackdown May Have Its First Target - Blue Route Journal<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=1111\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"EXCLUSIVE: Texas\u2019 Anti-DEI College Crackdown May Have Its First Target - Blue Route Journal\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"An office launched by the State of Texas to investigate banned diversity, equity, and inclusion practices at universities has launched its first investigation, according to a complaint obtained by The Daily Wire.The probe centers on a complaint filed by a former student at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, who alleges that the school is operating \u201ca shadow D.E.I. program in violation of state law.\u201d The complaint also alleges that university employees \u201cdiscriminate against conservatives \u2026 and those that they perceive do not support D.E.I. or leftist political beliefs.\u201dThe state launched the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Office of the Ombudsman last year to serve as a watchdog for universities to ensure they are not violating anti-DEI laws. The office has since begun accepting complaints from students, faculty, and employees.The office can push to withhold state funding from schools found to have violated state law that have failed to address the issues, according to The Texas Tribune.\u201cThe Office of the Ombudsman enforces key Texas higher education laws that prohibit divisive practices and unconstitutional discrimination as well as ensure accountability for important personnel and curriculum decisions at public universities,\u201d\u00a0Brandon L. Simmons, who leads the office, told The Daily Wire.\u201cWe take every complaint seriously and will fully investigate allegations of potential violations. Our work helps protect a fair learning environment in which Texas students are treated equally under the law,\u201d Simmons said.The complaint at the center of the office\u2019s first investigation is heavily redacted, leaving many details unclear.In one alleged incident, the former student claimed that a campus peer tutoring office sought \u201cto restrict political speech following Charlie Kirk\u2019s assassination.\u201d After Kirk\u2019s killing, university staff informed students in the tutoring office that \u201cwe\u2019re a political free zone,\u201d the former student\u2019s attorney, Tanner Franklin, told The Daily Wire.Franklin is representing the ex-student alongside State Rep. Briscoe Caine.The ex-student responded to the group message, saying, \u201cI appreciate \u2026 that we\u2019re not going to be political, but that\u2019s not what\u2019s happening in reality,\u201d referring to other tutors who wore \u201cclothing with obvious political slogans such as \u2018No person can be illegal on stolen land\u2019 and \u2018From the River to the Sea,&amp;apos;\u201d a Palestinian chant for wiping Israel off the map.He was subsequently fired from the tutoring office.Franklin said that he believes the university retaliated against his client.\u201cHis point was that\u2019s fine if you want to be viewpoint neutral, that\u2019s fine, but you actually have to be viewpoint neutral. And in response, they deleted his comment immediately from the group and basically sent him a message separately, saying, \u2018Well, we\u2019ll handle it.\u2019 And that was it. And then a week and a half later, he basically gets fired,\u201d Franklin said.In another instance, the ex-student said he was punished for asking a transgender student for their legal name when taking attendance. The transgender student would not provide their name, which was on the class roster, and only gave their preferred name.\u201cThat student went and complained that my client was essentially being mean to him,\u201d Franklin said.The complainant and his attorney subsequently met with university officials to air his concerns.\u201cI left the meeting hopeful that SFA took my reports seriously and would take proper, and immediate action to address these serious issues. Unfortunately, that was not the case,\u201d the student said in the complaint.The school provided the former student with an \u201cupdate\u201d more than a week after the meeting took place, informing him that they \u201cwould be \u2018firming up dress code expectations.&amp;apos;\u201dThe university\u2019s general counsel also told the former student that university employees \u201cdid not know what \u2018From the River to the Sea\u2019 meant.\u201d\u201cThis fell far short of the full and transparent investigation that I requested and certainly did not hold anyone accountable,\u201d the complaint reads.As a result of the university\u2019s actions and alleged failure to address the situation, the former student chose not to \u201cwalk at his graduation\u201d out of concern about further retaliation, Franklin said, adding that his client \u201cwas just so disheartened with how the university had handled this process.\u201dFranklin hopes that the ombudsman\u2019s office can push for greater accountability.\u201cWe appreciate the Office of the Ombudsman for taking this complaint seriously and conducting a thorough investigation. Our client\u2019s courageous decision to file this complaint is a critical step toward holding rogue university officials accountable,\u201d the attorney said.\u201cWe must ensure that the free speech rights of Texas students are protected and that any restrictions on speech are applied in a viewpoint-neutral manner. The Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and the Legislature\u2019s conservative majority have made it clear: Texans are tired of conservative student voices being silenced and targeted at our taxpayer-funded institutions. When it happens, there will be consequences,\u201d he added.In a statement, the university said it \u201ccomplies with all state and federal laws,\u201d adding that \u201cif there is a governmental investigation, the university will fully cooperate.\u201d\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=1111\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Blue Route Journal\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-07-10T14:40:59+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=1111#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=1111\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/19da116f8d79cf8987781569801c6b7c\"},\"headline\":\"EXCLUSIVE: Texas\u2019 Anti-DEI College Crackdown May Have Its First Target\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-10T14:40:59+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=1111\"},\"wordCount\":893,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=1111#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/88c3be11ccf383588015acca50448768.avif\",\"articleSection\":[\"Exclusive\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=1111#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=1111\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=1111\",\"name\":\"EXCLUSIVE: Texas\u2019 Anti-DEI College Crackdown May Have Its First Target - Blue Route Journal\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=1111#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=1111#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/88c3be11ccf383588015acca50448768.avif\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-10T14:40:59+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/19da116f8d79cf8987781569801c6b7c\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=1111#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=1111\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=1111#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/88c3be11ccf383588015acca50448768.avif\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/88c3be11ccf383588015acca50448768.avif\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":675},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=1111#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"EXCLUSIVE: Texas\u2019 Anti-DEI College Crackdown May Have Its First Target\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Blue Route Journal\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/19da116f8d79cf8987781569801c6b7c\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"admin\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?author=1\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"EXCLUSIVE: Texas\u2019 Anti-DEI College Crackdown May Have Its First Target - Blue Route Journal","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=1111","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"EXCLUSIVE: Texas\u2019 Anti-DEI College Crackdown May Have Its First Target - Blue Route Journal","og_description":"An office launched by the State of Texas to investigate banned diversity, equity, and inclusion practices at universities has launched its first investigation, according to a complaint obtained by The Daily Wire.The probe centers on a complaint filed by a former student at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, who alleges that the school is operating \u201ca shadow D.E.I. program in violation of state law.\u201d The complaint also alleges that university employees \u201cdiscriminate against conservatives \u2026 and those that they perceive do not support D.E.I. or leftist political beliefs.\u201dThe state launched the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Office of the Ombudsman last year to serve as a watchdog for universities to ensure they are not violating anti-DEI laws. The office has since begun accepting complaints from students, faculty, and employees.The office can push to withhold state funding from schools found to have violated state law that have failed to address the issues, according to The Texas Tribune.\u201cThe Office of the Ombudsman enforces key Texas higher education laws that prohibit divisive practices and unconstitutional discrimination as well as ensure accountability for important personnel and curriculum decisions at public universities,\u201d\u00a0Brandon L. Simmons, who leads the office, told The Daily Wire.\u201cWe take every complaint seriously and will fully investigate allegations of potential violations. Our work helps protect a fair learning environment in which Texas students are treated equally under the law,\u201d Simmons said.The complaint at the center of the office\u2019s first investigation is heavily redacted, leaving many details unclear.In one alleged incident, the former student claimed that a campus peer tutoring office sought \u201cto restrict political speech following Charlie Kirk\u2019s assassination.\u201d After Kirk\u2019s killing, university staff informed students in the tutoring office that \u201cwe\u2019re a political free zone,\u201d the former student\u2019s attorney, Tanner Franklin, told The Daily Wire.Franklin is representing the ex-student alongside State Rep. Briscoe Caine.The ex-student responded to the group message, saying, \u201cI appreciate \u2026 that we\u2019re not going to be political, but that\u2019s not what\u2019s happening in reality,\u201d referring to other tutors who wore \u201cclothing with obvious political slogans such as \u2018No person can be illegal on stolen land\u2019 and \u2018From the River to the Sea,&apos;\u201d a Palestinian chant for wiping Israel off the map.He was subsequently fired from the tutoring office.Franklin said that he believes the university retaliated against his client.\u201cHis point was that\u2019s fine if you want to be viewpoint neutral, that\u2019s fine, but you actually have to be viewpoint neutral. And in response, they deleted his comment immediately from the group and basically sent him a message separately, saying, \u2018Well, we\u2019ll handle it.\u2019 And that was it. And then a week and a half later, he basically gets fired,\u201d Franklin said.In another instance, the ex-student said he was punished for asking a transgender student for their legal name when taking attendance. The transgender student would not provide their name, which was on the class roster, and only gave their preferred name.\u201cThat student went and complained that my client was essentially being mean to him,\u201d Franklin said.The complainant and his attorney subsequently met with university officials to air his concerns.\u201cI left the meeting hopeful that SFA took my reports seriously and would take proper, and immediate action to address these serious issues. Unfortunately, that was not the case,\u201d the student said in the complaint.The school provided the former student with an \u201cupdate\u201d more than a week after the meeting took place, informing him that they \u201cwould be \u2018firming up dress code expectations.&apos;\u201dThe university\u2019s general counsel also told the former student that university employees \u201cdid not know what \u2018From the River to the Sea\u2019 meant.\u201d\u201cThis fell far short of the full and transparent investigation that I requested and certainly did not hold anyone accountable,\u201d the complaint reads.As a result of the university\u2019s actions and alleged failure to address the situation, the former student chose not to \u201cwalk at his graduation\u201d out of concern about further retaliation, Franklin said, adding that his client \u201cwas just so disheartened with how the university had handled this process.\u201dFranklin hopes that the ombudsman\u2019s office can push for greater accountability.\u201cWe appreciate the Office of the Ombudsman for taking this complaint seriously and conducting a thorough investigation. Our client\u2019s courageous decision to file this complaint is a critical step toward holding rogue university officials accountable,\u201d the attorney said.\u201cWe must ensure that the free speech rights of Texas students are protected and that any restrictions on speech are applied in a viewpoint-neutral manner. The Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and the Legislature\u2019s conservative majority have made it clear: Texans are tired of conservative student voices being silenced and targeted at our taxpayer-funded institutions. When it happens, there will be consequences,\u201d he added.In a statement, the university said it \u201ccomplies with all state and federal laws,\u201d adding that \u201cif there is a governmental investigation, the university will fully cooperate.\u201d","og_url":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=1111","og_site_name":"Blue Route Journal","article_published_time":"2026-07-10T14:40:59+00:00","author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=1111#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=1111"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/#\/schema\/person\/19da116f8d79cf8987781569801c6b7c"},"headline":"EXCLUSIVE: Texas\u2019 Anti-DEI College Crackdown May Have Its First Target","datePublished":"2026-07-10T14:40:59+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=1111"},"wordCount":893,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=1111#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/88c3be11ccf383588015acca50448768.avif","articleSection":["Exclusive"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=1111#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=1111","url":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=1111","name":"EXCLUSIVE: Texas\u2019 Anti-DEI College Crackdown May Have Its First Target - Blue Route Journal","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=1111#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=1111#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/88c3be11ccf383588015acca50448768.avif","datePublished":"2026-07-10T14:40:59+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/#\/schema\/person\/19da116f8d79cf8987781569801c6b7c"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=1111#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=1111"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=1111#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/88c3be11ccf383588015acca50448768.avif","contentUrl":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/88c3be11ccf383588015acca50448768.avif","width":1200,"height":675},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=1111#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"EXCLUSIVE: Texas\u2019 Anti-DEI College Crackdown May Have Its First Target"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/","name":"Blue Route Journal","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/#\/schema\/person\/19da116f8d79cf8987781569801c6b7c","name":"admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"admin"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/blueroutejournal.com"],"url":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?author=1"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1111","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1111"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1111\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1110"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1111"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1111"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1111"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}