Texas A&M University fires professor amid backlash, political pressure over use of gender identity in children's literature class
A controversy at Texas A&M University over the use of gender identity in a class on children's literature has made national headlines and resulted in the professor losing her job.
The dispute began after a student challenged the professor in class. State Representative Brian Harrison, R-Midlothian, has sharply criticized the university and how it's handled the situation on the social platform X. He has posted videos that the student secretly recorded in the class. At first, University President Mark Welsh III removed the dean and department head from their administrative positions because the course content was not consistent with what was published in the course catalog description.
Other Texas officials weigh in
In response to the controversy, Governor Greg Abbott posted on X, "Good. Now, fire the professor who acted contrary to Texas law." Welsh then fired the professor, Melissa McCoul. She hired an attorney who said she has appealed her termination. The lawyer also stated that his client taught the course for years and was never told to change it.
The Governor also posted about the professor's firing. Lt. Governor Dan Patrick also weighed in on X. He criticized the university president, saying most parents, students, and alumni expect Texas A&M to reflect the values of the state and nation. "If President Welsh will not or cannot reflect those values, then change needs to happen."
Texas A&M University System Chancellor Glenn Hegar issued a statement on X praising the professor's firing. "I commend President Welsh on the action he has taken to terminate a faculty member."
In an interview with CBS News Texas, Harrison said he believes the university violated the student's constitutional rights.
"She was discriminated on her conservative beliefs, and her first amendment free speech rights were absolutely violated. She was singled out in this class for public humiliation. She was ejected from the classroom. She was ordered to leave by the government officials. This wasn't a private action. This was a government official acting on behalf of the government of Texas." Harrison believes Welsh should be fired as well and said the university tried to cover this up.
"Weaponizing university systems"
State Representative Venton Jones, D-Dallas, and member of the House LGBTQ caucus, told CBS News Texas that students in his community are being harmed. He sent a letter to President Welsh that included signatures from other Democratic lawmakers. "I think the President must have messaging that's not just from conservative members," said Jones. "They are now seeing a university and our university systems being weaponized in a way that moves a political agenda and not an agenda that is based on the people that represent this state and that represent the student body that attends institutions like Texas A&M."
CBS News Texas requested an interview with both Welsh and Hegar. Hegar's office had not responded at the time of the report, and Welsh's office declined the request for comment.
Texas A&M University and all of its universities in the system will conduct audits of all its course offerings.