Texas Scorecard Covers AIM Investigation That Led to UT Arlington Administrator’s Removal
April 14, 2026
An activist group has released another undercover video that shows a social work staff member at the University of Texas at Arlington discussing how the institution has maintained diversity, equity, and inclusion materials in course content.
This video, produced by Accuracy in Media, features undercover footage of a recruiter for UT-Arlington’s social work school discussing the institution’s approach to state-level restrictions on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Melissa Cruz explains that while the university has had to remove certain terminology and abide by new bans, the core intent, research, and curriculum of their social work program remains unchanged.
According to Cruz, faculty members are well-versed in how to navigate these legislative changes. Instead of using “banned” terminology that could trigger administrative scrutiny, they have rebranded specific concepts; for instance, continuing education units previously labeled as “cultural competency” are now classified as “human service” hours.
She emphasized that professors still cover topics related to DEI, such as race and gender, by adjusting their language to avoid prohibited words. Cruz further described the faculty’s mission as one of “pushing back” and causing “good trouble” to maintain the program’s original focus despite political pressure.
Cruz also noted that the program continues to adhere to national accreditation standards set by bodies like the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), which may conflict with state-level mandates.
Accreditation under the CSWE was the subject of another video released by the same group last week showing continued DEI at the University of North Texas. The Steve Hicks School of Social Work at UT-Austin also requires so-called “antiracism” training as part of its accreditation with this organization.
Senate Bill 17, a 2023 state law that banned DEI in university human resources policies, contains specific exemptions for accreditation and “academic course instruction.”
Social work education has a long history as a repository for woke content, both nationally and in the Lone Star State.
In 2025, Baylor University’s Garland School of Social Work returned a grant to promote LGBT ideology within churches following public backlash.
UNT social work professors have spoken at trans-affirming conferences and require adherence to woke ideology.
“The statements reflected in the video do not represent university policy or practice,” a UT-Arlington spokesperson told Texas Scorecard in a statement. “As a result, the employee referenced in the video is no longer employed by the university.”