Two San Antonio professors will co-host a symposium on academic freedom "in an era of educational intimidation" at Trinity University on Friday, Feb. 2.
The one-day event will include panels that unpack recent state legislation banning diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts at public colleges and critical race theory in K-12 public schools.
“What these bills do is — they are not actually saying, ‘We're going to fire you. You're going to get in big trouble. We'll blacklist you and you'll never teach [wherever] again.’ Instead, they’re designed to create an environment of fear and uncertainty,” said Miriam Shoshana Sobre, one of the symposium organizers.
Sobre teaches intercultural communication at the University of Texas at San Antonio and researches legislation focused on race and identity in education.
She said those laws create a chilling effect and are causing some educators to leave the state.
“What we basically want attendees to get out of this conference is that the chilling effect is real, and it exists, but we don't have to lie down and take it. We don’t have to be part of that chilling effect,” Sobre said.
She said symposium panelists will break down the limitations of the legislation and the rights students and educators continue to have.
Other topics of discussion will include ethnic studies courses and restrictions on books. Attendees will also be invited to share their experience and collaborate with each other.
Trinity University Professor Habiba Noor is co-organizing the symposium with Sobre.
The symposium will be held at Trinity’s Chapman Auditorium on Friday, Feb. 2, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
A schedule of the conference is available here, and registration is optional in case people aren’t comfortable sharing their information.
The event is open to the public, and it will focus on students and educators. The conference is designed for people to attend all day or just for one session.
"If you can get away for an hour at lunch and you want to come attend something, you can do that and then go back to work," Sobre said.
