Campus Reform: Texas A&M University

Editor's Note: This article was written by a current senior at Texas A&M. 

On Wednesday, April 20, 2011, the Texas A&M Student Senate voted on a bill advocating for funding equality between the GLBT Resource Center and traditional family value education.  S.B. 63-106, the "Sexual Education Equality in Funding Bill" passed with a vote of 22-21, with the Speaker of the Senate casting the tiebreaking vote. 

Texas A&M has had a Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Resource Center since 2007 and GLBT student groups for decades.  The GLBT Resource Center, funded primarily through mandatory student fees and state funding, has a yearly budget of over $100,000.  However, there is no resource center at A&M promoting traditional and family values such as the benefits of marriage and abstinence.

The Student Senate bill seeks to end this outrageous disparity by requesting the university to "provide equal funding for family and traditional values education."  Most Texas A&M students do not support the GLBT agenda, yet they are forced to pay for the GLBT activism center through mandatory student fees.  S.B. 63-106 opposes any increase in student fees, so students would not have to pay anymore than they already are for these 'services.'

The Student Senate bill also supports Rep. Wayne Christian's amendment to Texas House Bill 1 (state appropriations bill) that would require universities to fund family values centers if they use state funds for GLBT centers.   Christian's amendment passed by a vote of 110-24.

Besides promoting "fun sex" among unmarried teenagers, the GLBT Resource Center uses mandatory student fee money for these purposes and more:

• Social Justice Week Activities, including hosting Jessica Pettitt
• Attending the Creating Change Conference, which focuses on "training activists" and "campaigns to defeat anti-LGBT referenda and advance pro-LGBT legislation"
• Hosting several speakers for "Coming Out Week," to educate (indoctrinate) the Texas A&M community on GLBT issues
• Bringing the No H8 campaign to Texas A&M, which opposes California legislation banning gay marriage
• Funding of supplies, speakers, and activities for the GLBT student organization
• Buying hundreds of dollars worth of DVDs and books each year including "Flaunt it!" and "Small Town Gay Bar"

If you are interested in bringing a traditional values center to your university, contact your Regional Field Coordinator!