The CEO of the nonprofit managing the Alamo resigned after a powerful Republican state official criticized her publicly, suggesting that her views aren’t compatible with the history of the Texas shrine.
Kate Rogers said in a statement Friday that she had resigned the day before, after Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick wrote a letter to the Alamo Trust’s Board of Directors suggesting that she either resign or be removed. Patrick criticized her over an academic paper questioning the GOP-controlled Legislature’s education policies and suggesting she wanted the historic site in Texas to have a broader focus.
“It was with mixed emotions that I resigned my post as President and CEO at the Alamo Trust yesterday,” Rogers stated in a text message to The Associated Press. “It became evident through recent events that it was time for me to move on.”
Several trust officials did not immediately respond to email or cellphone messages Friday seeking comment.
Patrick had publicly denounced Rogers' paper, labelling it as “shocking.” Her paper, submitted in 2023 for a doctorate in global education at the University of Southern California, raised questions about historical narratives surrounding the Alamo. In it, she discussed how political agendas influence Texas educational policies and how history should encompass the full context surrounding the site.
Patrick expressed significant concerns over her judgment and her perspective on the Alamo’s history, stating, “She has a totally different view of how the history of the Alamo should be told.”
This incident further complicates the ongoing debate about how American history, particularly regarding the legacy of slavery and indigenous peoples, is represented in public education and institutions.
“We need to get politics out of our teaching of history. Period,” said Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai, condemning Patrick’s interference.
Rogers' paper highlighted the conservative legislative agenda affecting what can be taught regarding race and slavery in Texas schools, citing a 2021 book titled “Forget the Alamo,” which presents an alternative narrative to traditional accounts. The book posits that the fight for independence was closely tied to the desire of Anglo settlers to maintain slavery, which was largely abolished in Mexico.
As the Alamo Trust gears up for a $400 million renovation of the site, scheduled for completion by 2027, this event underscores the tensions between preservation, education, and political ideology within Texas history.
