Texas politician petitions governor to ban affirmative action in employment, 'all government entities'

Texas State Representative Brian Harrison has issued a letter to Governor Greg Abbott petitioning for the state to ban affirmative action in “employment, and contracting practices in universities and all government entities.” 

Harrison sent the June 30 letter just one day after the Supreme Court ruled the longtime higher education admissions practice to be unconstitutional.

In an email to Campus Reform, Harrison’s office stated that Harrison is “asking Governor Abbott to immediately allow the Texas legislature to ban all race-based admission, employment, and contracting practices in universities and all government entities.” 

[RELATED: SCOTUS rules against affirmative action in college admissions]

“Considering yesterday’s historic Supreme Court decision striking down explicit and facially racist affirmative action practices in universities, I believe that, without legislative action, Texans might not fully realize the benefits of this decision,” the letter states. “We must build on this momentum and maximally protect our citizens from government-sanctioned discrimination on the basis of race.”

During a recent radio interview with Fox News, Harrison noted that the left is “not just going to sit idly by and accept the [Supreme Court] decision,” and therefore requires additional action to gut affirmative action throughout the state.

”They are already actively working to undermine this decision,” he said. “And I think, like Justice Roberts pointed out, in his opinion, [that] eliminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it.” 

In his letter, Harrison quoted Justice Clarence Thomas in noting that it “is an insult to individual achievement and cancerous to young minds seeking to push through barriers, rather than consign themselves to permanent victimhood.”

Harrison is calling on Abbott to act swiftly in outlawing race-based affirmative action policies in other areas beyond college admissions, such as government contracting and employment opportunities.

Harrison also invoked Dr. Martin Luther King, stating: “Acting boldly now will more quickly help Texas make Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream of living in a state and nation where people will ‘not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character’ a reality.” 

“[T]axpayer-funded racism has no place in the great state of Texas,” he added.

“We must do all that we can to maximally protect our citizens from government-sanctioned discrimination on the basis of race,” Harrison’s office told Campus Reform.

[RELATED:DeSantis announces sweeping changes to dismantle DEI, CRT in higher education]

A Republican from Ellis County, Texas, Harrison is a member of the state’s Public Education Committee. He previously served as chief of staff to former Trump Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar.

When running for office in 2021, Harrison campaigned on opposing Critical Race Theory in schools.

“Critical Race Theory is a divisive and destructive ideology that needs to be eradicated,” he stated. “As a parent, I will fight to make sure CRT is abolished in Texas.”

Campus Reform reached out to all relevant parties for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.