Since 2022, UTD’s Student Services Addition featured a Progress Pride mural. On July 3, students discovered its removal.
The takedown of the mural follows Libs of TikTok’s viral post on social media platform X. The conservative social media account posted a photo of the progress pride mural and tagged Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, questioning if the wall complied with his Senate Bill 17. The post received over 273,000 views and other conservative accounts later amplified this rhetoric, including Native Texan, which described the mural as “LGBTQ propaganda.”
Prior to the mural’s removal, The Mercury reached out to Vice President of Student Affairs Gene Fitch for comment about the online controversy. He responded, referencing an Instagram post he made in 2022 after the mural was complete, saying, “I don’t know that I have anything to add beyond what was said in 2022.”
David Blackman II, a former UTD undergraduate who recently returned to the university for a master’s degree, said he began pushing for the mural’s removal after concluding it violated SB 17. Blackman said he emailed UTD’s Office of Ethics and Compliance in mid-June and, after receiving no response, sent photos of the mural to Libs of TikTok.
Blackman said the mural violated SB 17 because he believes the university paid for the mural, displayed the UTD logo on it and Student Affairs oversaw the project. While acknowledging that “the law specifically, word verbatim does not prohibit such things,” he said the mural violated the legislature’s intent.
“My position is strictly legal, illegal,” Blackman said. “I have no issues with there being a mural, but it cannot be funded by the university. That makes it illegal.”
Blackman said he filed a public information request seeking records related to the decision to remove the mural, explaining that he routinely requests documents after similar controversies so that he can “track the response and learn” for future efforts. He said he is also investigating Student Government’s Diversity, Equity and Belonging Committee, which he believes also violates SB 17. He said the committee is his “next target for removal.”
Blackman said he learned of the mural’s removal after a friend on campus sent him a photo.
“The mural itself was illegal, plain and simple, and I applaud UTD for their quick action in removing it and adhering to the law,” Blackman said.
Student Government President David Baker said this controversy was a “gross overreach of overcompliance with SB 17.”
Baker said that student fees fund Student Government projects, not taxpayer money.
“The law states you’re not allowed to spend taxpayer money on DEI initiatives and stuff. This wall is not being maintained by taxpayer money,” Baker said. He also said there are specific caveats for student organizations that allow Student Government to have the Diversity, Equity, and Belonging committee.
Baker said this situation happening before the 250th birthday of the United States is “ironic and unfortunate.”
“At UTD specifically, Student Government is always going to be a bastion fighting on the front lines. We’re always going to be the ones out there trying putting ourselves out there, trying to fight for students rights for expression and speech,” the Student Government president said. “We will not be intimidated by people who don’t understand the law and who don’t understand how important these initiatives are for the student body at UTD.”
The Mercury has reached out to various UTD administrators and students. The Mercury will update this article as new information emerges.
For The Mercury’s editorial response to the Progress Pride mural’s removal, click here.
