Two high‑profile faculty‑dismissal cases in Texas produced contrasting outcomes this month, underscoring political pressure on campus speech and due process. At Texas A&M, a university committee unanimously found the institution lacked justification to fire an English professor amid conservative backlash over gender‑identity instruction, saying procedures were mishandled. Meanwhile the Texas State University Board of Regents upheld the dismissal of a tenured professor over remarks at a socialist conference. The disputes drew intervention from state politicians and national free‑speech organizations and triggered appeals and settlements, including the resignation and a multimillion‑dollar exit deal for a president at one institution. The divergent decisions highlight inconsistent governance responses when public universities face politically charged classroom controversies. For faculty governance bodies and legal counsel, these cases signal that procedural rigor, documented course approvals, and clear appeals processes will be central in defending academic freedom and institutional decisions amid heightened political scrutiny.