Texas Rep. Mitch Little (R-Denton) sent a letter to the University of North Texas (UNT) leadership on March 2, demanding the removal of an alleged antisemitic exhibit and the cancellation of an upcoming lecture by a faculty member.

In the letter addressed to UNT President Dr. Harrison Keller and Chancellor Michael R. Williams, Little raised concerns over an exhibit displayed in a public campus space, citing reports that it includes Hebrew text reading, “The murder of the people = genocide.”

He also objected to an April 3 lecture by Associate Dean Dr. Nancy Stockdale, titled “Listening to Children and the Politics of Genocide.”

Little noted that Stockdale had previously described Israel as “oppressive” and condemned its “disproportionate response” following the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks.

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The Denton lawmaker criticized UNT’s “ongoing indulgence and tolerance” of such rhetoric, questioning whether the university was in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and Gov. Abbott’s Executive Order GA-44, which addresses antisemitism in higher education.

Little issued four demands:

  1. Remove the exhibit within 48 hours
  2. Announce the cancellation of Stockdale’s lecture within 48 hours
  3. Review UNT’s free speech policies and enforcement per GA-44
  4. Evaluate Stockdale’s actions in relation to university policies on antisemitism

Little copied the letter to the Texas House Committee on Higher Education, requesting UNT update the committee on its response.

“At Texas universities, Israel and the Jewish people will not be required to justify their existence or their defense of the same,” Little wrote.

In March of 2024, Gov. Abbott issued an Executive Order requiring public schools to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism.

This definition includes eleven examples of antisemitic bias, such as accusing Jews of inventing or exaggerating the Holocaust.

Several universities in North Texas, including the University of North Texas, the University of Texas at Dallas, and the University of Texas at Arlington, have adopted the IHRA definition.

However, this move has sparked controversy, with some groups arguing it could infringe on free speech rights.

A U.S. District Judge ruled that groups challenging the policies would likely succeed in proving a chilling effect on free speech. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) has been critical of the impact of the IHRA definition on free speech.

At the national level, the U.S. Department of Justice has launched a task force to investigate anti-Jewish harassment on college campuses.

The House of Representatives passed the Antisemitism Awareness Act (AAA) last year, but it was stalled by the Senate. However, AAA is likely to be passed in 2025, aiming to hold universities accountable for creating hostile environments for Jewish students.

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights has recommended that universities take a proactive stance against antisemitism by condemning hateful speech and educating students about their rights.