Is ‘Wokeness’ Ancient Greek? Texas University Study Sparks Debate
- The debate over “wokeness” in American academia has taken a surprising turn, extending beyond contemporary social issues to the realm of ancient philosophy.
- The university’s ban stems from rules adopted in November 2025 prohibiting the teaching of “race and gender ideology” without prior approval.
- Professor Peterson, who has taught the course for years, argues that excluding these texts hinders students’ understanding of philosophical thought.
The debate over “wokeness” in American academia has taken a surprising turn, extending beyond contemporary social issues to the realm of ancient philosophy. Texas A&M University has effectively censored the teaching of Plato’s “Symposium,” a foundational text in Western thought, due to its exploration of gender and sexuality. The decision, reported on , by NPR Illinois and the San Antonio Current, highlights a growing trend of curriculum restrictions driven by new university policies.
The university’s ban stems from rules adopted in prohibiting the teaching of “race and gender ideology” without prior approval. According to an email circulated on , Kristi Sweet, head of Texas A&M’s philosophy department, instructed Professor Martin Peterson to remove readings from his “Contemporary Moral Issues” class that featured such ideologies. Specifically, passages from Plato’s “Symposium” – including Aristophanes’ myth of split humans and Diotima’s Ladder of Love – are considered problematic.
Professor Peterson, who has taught the course for years, argues that excluding these texts hinders students’ understanding of philosophical thought. “Plato’s ‘Symposium’ is one of the most important philosophical texts ever written,” he stated, “and it’s been taught for thousands of years to students without doing any harm to anyone.” He expressed concern that the censorship ultimately harms his students, preventing them from engaging with Plato’s original ideas about gender and sexuality. “They are being misled. They don’t get to read Plato’s text. They don’t understand how Plato was actually thinking about gender issues, in this case,” Peterson said.
The controversy is not isolated to Plato. Peterson noted that other prominent philosophers, such as Friedrich Nietzsche, Martin Heidegger and Immanuel Kant, also grapple with controversial ideas. However, It’s Plato’s exploration of non-binary gender concepts and homosexuality that triggered the university’s intervention. The “Symposium” posits the existence of more than two genders, a concept deemed incompatible with the new university regulations.
The situation at Texas A&M is part of a broader pattern of academic restrictions in several state colleges, as noted by the San Antonio Current. Lindsie Rank, director of campus rights advocacy at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), criticized the Board of Regents for granting university administrators the power to censor academic content. “This is what happens when the board of regents gives university bureaucrats veto power over academic content,” Rank stated. “You don’t protect students by banning 2,400-year-old philosophy.”
The move has sparked debate about the purpose of higher education and the limits of academic freedom. Critics argue that banning philosophical texts based on contemporary ideological concerns undermines the very foundation of critical thinking and intellectual inquiry. The incident raises questions about whether universities are prioritizing ideological conformity over the pursuit of knowledge.
This case also echoes concerns raised by Christopher Schorr, Ph.D., who recently authored a report for the America First Policy Institute’s Higher Education Reform Initiative. Schorr’s research, highlighted by the Dallas Express, suggests a trend of grade inflation and reduced academic rigor in disciplines focused on identity studies. While his report focuses on grade discrepancies, it points to a broader environment where academic standards may be compromised in favor of ideological alignment.
The banning of Plato’s “Symposium” at Texas A&M is not simply about a single text or a single university. It represents a fundamental shift in the approach to education, one that prioritizes adherence to a specific worldview over the open exploration of ideas. As one observer noted on SimpleMotifs.substack.com, the mandate signals a preference for hierarchical obedience over Socratic discourse, suggesting that the ability to navigate differences through reasoned argument is now considered a secondary, or even dangerous, skill.
The implications of this trend extend beyond the United States. The increasing politicization of higher education globally raises concerns about the future of academic freedom and the ability of universities to serve as independent centers of learning and critical inquiry. The case of Plato at Texas A&M serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of these institutions and the importance of defending intellectual freedom against ideological encroachment.