If those institutions become too weak for the job, or if they abandon the job altogether, then people will seek shelter in the comfortable predictability of despotism, where they think they’ll be safe, until they discover to their horror that they’re not. Government in this country was designed at all levels to control that predilection through democratic institutions. Instead, like a poisonous weed in a garden, the natural human predilection toward authoritarian solutions has been allowed to sprout. Unlike as is the case in several other states, what’s going on in Texas is not the result of new laws or regulations. Two students said human resources officers with the district questioned them about their involvement with the GSA. Some said they’re discouraged by the Irving Independent School District’s response to the concerns they’ve raised through the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) and school board meetings, and they feel less safe at school than they did a year ago. Several students said that either they or their classmates have been called homophobic slurs and bullied, and school staff members have failed to intervene. Two teachers said that the school’s principal asked teachers to take down gay pride flags in their classrooms and offices. The student newspaper has functionally shut down. The alliance’s weekly meetings became monthly, and attendance dropped from about 40 students to fewer than 10.
From NBC News: One faculty sponsor of the school’s Gay-Straight Alliance is facing having her contract terminated, another is preparing to resign, and a third has been removed from the classroom. We have a fine example unfolding in Texas. And one of those rules is that the people keep their heads down and not bother themselves with what’s going on around them. They work because, by and large, they require very little of the people they govern. We’ll be looking for more big LGBTQ-inclusion statements from this Texas athletics department.Here’s the thing about authoritarian politics. This is all a welcome sign from the marquee college sports program in a state with a reputation of being overtly and traditionally Christian and challenging for LGBTQ people.
of Texas athletics department has done a lot of good things since a change of management took place. The school published a story about Austin Pride on the Texas athletics Web site, created a video on YouTube, and shared it on Twitter, using the popular Longhorns hashtag #HookEm. We are letting current and future student-athletes, coaches and support staff know ‘You’re welcome here. Visibility and living what we say is a core value critical for those who are struggling to find their place, find their fit.
“Being as visible as to not only march in parades like Juneteenth and Pride, but promote our participation publicly through our owned communications channels, is something that I think is extremely important. ”The fact we have programs that include diversity and inclusion in athletics is not necessarily a new concept,” Martin said. I was excited when I learned that UT Athletics has such a robust diversity and inclusion program that includes not only student-athletes but coaches and support staff,” Martin told Outsports. Martin has been proud to see what he calls a robust diversity program that the school very publicly has embraced. One of those staffers was Drew Martin, the associate athletics director who was recently hired away from TCU by the school. Using the fitting tagline “Hooked On Diversity And Inclusion,” a total of 12 student-athletes and 13 staffers reportedly joined Texas Cheer and Pom members, including the school’s costumed mascot, Hook ‘Em. of Texas athletics department waved a big rainbow flag last weekend, marching in the Austin Pride Parade.