SEAT organized funerals for academic freedom in Lubbock, Austin, and Fort Worth

RIP Academic Freedom

Students are mourning the death by a thousand cuts of academic freedom. This month, SEAT organized funerals at board meetings of three universities, complete with a horse-drawn carriage and urns holding "ashes" of burned books.

Proclaiming the death of Texas Tech, UT, and UNT is not taken lightly. But over recent years, politicians have placed free speech on the chopping block.

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COURT FILING

The First Amendment has no bedtime

Represented by the ACLU of Texas, SEAT filed an amicus brief on a case against S.B. 2972, the law impacting student speech and expressive activities on college campuses. Hats off to our friends at FIRE and The Retrograde student newspaper for bringing this suit to court.

Students Tell Fifth Circuit: First Amendment Has No Bedtime

SEAT on the Hill featured guests: Mary Beth Tinker, Congressman Christian Menefee, and Rachel Laser.

UPCOMING EVENTS

An Evening Reception on Capitol Hill

SEAT is bringing 10+ students to Capitol Hill next week for a five-day advocacy trip. SEAT’s federal policy fellowship is named in honor of Mary Beth Tinker, a longtime students’ rights advocate.

Tinker's Supreme Court case affirmed that students do not “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.” She'll be joining us for the reception – will you?

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POLICY NEWS

UPCOMING: Testify at the Texas Capitol

While the next legislative session won't begin until 2027, committees are monitoring the enforcement of state laws and devising priorities for the next session.

SEAT brought five students to testify at a hearing earlier this month on school finance, safety, and technology. There's another hearing with public testimony next week.

HEARING NOTICE: House Committee on Public Education (June 1 at 10 AM)

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SEAT's Creator Collective Wants YOU!

SEAT is launching the second cohort of our Creator Collective to elevate student narratives and emphasize the role of creativity, storytelling, and multimedia design in social movements. Applications close June 28 (priority due June 14)

Submit Your Application ➜

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