The Texas chapter of the NAACP, the organization’s chapter at the University of Texas at Austin, and several anonymous students at the university filed a federal civil rights complaint Friday alleging the fostering of a “hostile environment” for black students with its alma mater song, “The Eyes of Texas.”
The complaint, obtained by the Texas Tribune, alleges school officials violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by failing to address the claims of black students and others who say they have suffered racial harassment because of the song at university events.
The complaint says the song, played at the university for over 100 years, has a “racially offensive origin, context and meaning.”
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According to the complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, the university’s decision to have separate marching bands for students who want to play the song and students who do not violates the equal protections established under the 14th Amendment.
“As black students, we kind of feel as if it’s not like our voices are heard,” said Al-Nasser Lawal, a senior at the school and president of the UT-Austin chapter of the NAACP. “The main objective of the administration and the campus is just to appease their wealthy donors so that they can continue to get that funding, and that they don’t really have our best interests at heart.”
The Texas Tribune reported a U.S. Department of Education spokesperson said it does not acknowledge complaints unless they are accepted for investigation, and its list is updated once a month.
UT-Austin President Jay Hartzell announced in October the creation of the Eyes of Texas History Committee, designed to study the song and recommend ways to communicate those underpinnings to the community.
The university released a report on March 9 acknowledging the tune was first played at minstrel shows. However, it said the song “had no racist intent.” The university also said research casts doubt on the assertion the phrase, “The Eyes of Texas are upon you,” was taken indirectly from a quote from Confederate General Robert E. Lee.
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The Washington Examiner reached out to the university for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
