In 1933, the German government, under the control of the Nazi Party, passed the Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service. The law excluded Jews and political enemies from public service, thus instilling a political strategy that would shape future generations under the reign of the Third Reich.
Before the rise of the Nazi Party, universities and professors enjoyed academic freedom under the Weimar Republic. Research was funded by the federal government, thereby advancing scientific and theological knowledge—professors such as Albert Einstein, Max Planck, Werner Heisenberg, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and many others flourished.
However, the atmosphere before Nazism’s rise was not perfect, with many universities and student organizations already holding and enacting antisemitic policies. Adolf Hitler and his fellow Nazis saw an opening in these preconceived biases. Quickly, the Nazis began making universities demonstrate their loyalty to Hitler and purging classrooms of professors seen as political enemies.
Coupled with the Hitler Youth Movement, the Führer recognized the importance of influencing and shaping emerging generations. In March 1935, Hitler gave a speech and declared, “He alone who owns the Youth gains the Future!”
With this in mind, it was shocking to hear Texas Governor Greg Abbott post this statement to social media: “Texas is targeting professors who are more focused on pushing leftist ideologies rather than preparing students to lead our nation. We must end indoctrination and return to education fundamentals at all levels of education.”
Abbott was responding to the announcement that the University of Texas had removed psychology professor Art Markman from his administrative role in academic affairs. Markman appears to have kept his teaching responsibilities. Both Markham and the university stated the dismissal was due to “ideological differences,” but did not elaborate on whether these were internal academic or political differences.
Regardless, it did not stop Abbott from seizing the moment to declare his discontent with higher education and professors he deems part of the “ideological left.” The Texas governor seems to be mimicking President Donald Trump, as his administration is attempting to influence higher education by withholding research grants and other federal funding.
While Abbott’s comments were shocking to academia and any champion of academic freedom, those of us who experienced the takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention remember when fundamentalists targeted professors and seminaries.
In 1994, I was a seminary student at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Believe it or not, I went to seminary as a good little fundamentalist, not questioning my mentors and accepting every word from conservative leaders as gospel. However, all that changed when I encountered professors who actually challenged me to read the gospel. And you know what? That cosmic story is one of inclusion, liberation, and justice.
Consequently, it was shocking in March of 1994 when the trustees fired President Dr. Russell Dilday. They accused Dilday of being liberal. Southern Baptist fundamentalists had been carrying out a purge of “liberalism” that they claimed had taken over the denomination and seminaries.
What I quickly learned as a young seminary student was that fundamentalists like to call ideas “liberal” when they contradict their conservative positions. What some deem “liberal” is, in fact, the educational process at work: researching, reflecting, and drawing new conclusions based on accurate information. Conservatives with fundamentalist tendencies don’t like change that upsets the status quo, primarily the privileges they enjoy.
What makes Abbott’s comments so much more alarming is the capitulation by both public and private universities to right-wing demands. Universities are eliminating their diversity, equity, and inclusion offices, and others are reviewing entire departments under the scrutiny of Turning Point USA and Republican politicians.
The growing echoes of Nazi Germany can be heard across the United States right now.
At the Freedom Rising Conference in New York City last week, Robert P. Jones, president of the Public Religion Research Institute, told a crowd: “Just as Germans who backed Hitler and the Nazi party after 1933 were fully aware of what they were doing, so Christians who backed Trump and the MAGA movement a second time are not just being partisan. They know and bear responsibility for what they are now endorsing.”
During a question-and-answer session, Jones was asked about how Americans were duped into voting for Trump and his policies a second time. He responded, “They weren’t.”
If the rising tide of authoritarianism and attacks on higher education is ever to subside, then people of good faith need to rise up and denounce the rhetoric of politicians, preachers and pundits like Governor Abbott. Additionally, a recommitment to academic freedom and responsible research must be reinforced by the public.
Education is not the enemy of the state. Indoctrination is.
G.K. Chesterton once wrote, “Democracy means government by the uneducated, while aristocracy means government by the badly educated.” Chesterton’s humor was spot on. Authoritarianism can only thrive, not in the absence of education, but fertilized with indoctrinated education.
True freedom can only be achieved when academic freedom is allowed to pursue knowledge that pushes boundaries and challenges norms. Only then can America strive to become a more perfect union for all.
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