Texas A&M suspended a professor earlier this year for allegedly disparaging Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick during a speech, news media recently revealed.
Professor Joy Alonzo delivered a lecture discussing the opioid epidemic at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston in March. She was subsequently accused by a student of criticizing Patrick during her speech, as reported by The Texas Tribune.
No one involved with the situation has confirmed what Alonzo said about Patrick. Students interviewed by The Tribune remembered a vague reference to the lieutenant governor’s office but could not recall what was specifically said.
Alonzo’s supervisors were made aware of the alleged statements within a few hours. The highest-ranking official in the Texas A&M University System, Chancellor John Sharp, spoke with Patrick’s office and promised to take prompt action.
In a text message sent to Patrick himself, Sharp reportedly said Alonzo “has been placed on administrative leave pending investigation re firing her. shud [sic] be finished by end of week.”
Texas A&M University System spokesperson Laylan Copelin told The Tribune that Sharp’s text was merely a “typical update.” She explained that Sharp often “keep[s] elected officials informed when something at Texas A&M might interest them.”
“It is not unusual to respond to any state official who has concerns about anything occurring at the Texas A&M System,” she claimed.
Alonzo alleged that the student who initially made the accusation against her “has ties to Texas A&M Leadership,” according to an email obtained by The Tribune.
Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham initiated the communications that led to the investigation into Alonzo, according to the Texas A&M system. Buckingham’s daughter was in attendance during Alonzo’s speech, The Tribune reported.
“The fentanyl crisis is personal to me and my family,” Buckingham said Wednesday on Twitter. “I was present when my beloved God daughter [sic] was taken off life support after an accidental overdose of this unbelievably deadly drug.”
“With the number of fentanyl deaths skyrocketing in Texas, leaders in academia, the media, and elected office must focus on meaningful policy solutions, not destructive blame games, disgusting character assassination, and political sniping that does nothing to save lives,” she asserted.
Buckingham claimed that “no one has done more to stabilize and secure our southern border” than Patrick.
Within hours of Texas A&M launching the investigation, officials at UTMB emailed students saying Alonzo’s statements “about Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and his role in the opioid crisis” were not representative of the school.
The email did not specify what Alonzo said that was considered controversial but did contain a “formal censure” of the professor.
Texas A&M’s internal investigation found no wrongdoing. Thus, the university decided not to terminate Alonzo and reinstated her on March 21, two weeks after she was placed on paid leave.
The incident sparked varied reactions from a wide range of parties.
Cary Cheshire, executive director of Texans for Strong Borders, said he was “very glad A&M handled this promptly.”
“We don’t need taxpayer dollars going to fund people who have contempt for Texas voters and their duly elected leaders,” he tweeted.
Luke Macias, whose social media bio identifies him as a “Texas conservative activist,” said Buckingham’s “daughter sounds like a total patriot.”
However, others believe Texas A&M’s investigation violated the principle of free speech.
“It would be highly inappropriate for a university to conduct an investigation if a faculty member says something critical of a state leader or a government official,” said Adam Steinbaugh, an attorney for the nonprofit Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, which aims to “defend and sustain the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought.”
“That is … a misuse of institutional resources, and it’s one that will have a chilling effect and that has a chilling effect even if you wind up clearing the professor,” he said, per The Tribune.
Marcia Ory told Texas A&M Health’s Vice President Jon Mogford that this incident “is probably an indicator of how sensitive and politically charged” the opioid crisis is, per The Tribune. Ory is a professor at Texas A&M Health and serves with Alonzo as co-chair of the university’s Opioid Task Force.
Patrick, Alonzo, and UTMB declined media requests for comment.
