Texas Republican’s Post About Asian American Students at UT Austin Sparks Backlash

A social media post by Bo French, the Republican nominee for the Texas Railroad Commission, has sparked accusations of racism after he shared a photograph of Asian American students at the University of Texas at Austin and questioned the university’s student population.

French posted the image after the University of Texas football team defeated Ohio State on September 12. He suggested that the students pictured represented a growing presence of foreign-born students at the university and argued that Texans were being displaced.

The post drew criticism from both Democrats and Republicans, with critics saying French appeared to assume that students were foreigners based on their appearance. Several people noted that being Asian American does not indicate that someone is an international student.

University data cited in reports show that international students account for about 4.3 per cent of UT Austin undergraduates, while 80.5 per cent of students are Texas residents. State law also requires at least 90 per cent of each freshman class at the university to be Texas residents.

Some of the students featured in the photograph also said they were American citizens, challenging the suggestion that their presence at the football game indicated an influx of foreign students.

The controversy prompted criticism from prominent Texas Republicans. US Senator John Cornyn described the comments as intolerance and racism, while other Republican officials also criticized French’s remarks.

French, however, defended his position and continued to argue that UT Austin’s enrollment policies favor international students and people of color. He rejected criticism that his comments were racially motivated.

The dispute has expanded into a broader debate over race, immigration and higher education in Texas, particularly over how the state’s increasingly diverse student population is portrayed in political discussions.

The incident comes as Texas continues to debate admissions policies, immigration and the role of race in education. UT Austin has also been affected by changes to diversity, equity and inclusion policies following state legislation and national legal developments.

French is running for the Texas Railroad Commission, a statewide body that regulates the oil and gas industry. His comments have now become a major point of controversy surrounding his campaign as Republican leaders and other political figures respond to the backlash.