Texas A&M Committee Challeges Professor's Dismissal Amid Controversial Video

Tue Nov 25 2025 10:46:49 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A committee at Texas A&M University found that the firing of professor Melissa McCoul was unjustified, recommending a review of the university's process amid political pressures.

An internal committee at Texas A&M University has ruled against the dismissal of Melissa McCoul, a senior lecturer in the English department, stating the university failed to follow proper procedures when she was fired over a classroom video addressing gender identity issues. Republican lawmakers, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, had pushed for her termination. The interim president of the university will now decide on the next steps following the committee's unanimous recommendation.

A Texas A&M committee has concluded that the university was wrong to fire a professor earlier this year, following a viral video controversy regarding a gender identity lesson. The internal committee found that the university did not follow proper dismissal procedures and failed to provide sufficient validity for the termination of Melissa McCoul, who served over a decade at A&M as a senior lecturer in English.

Republican lawmakers, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, had called for McCoul's termination after the video surfaced showing a student questioning the legality of discussions on gender identity based on President Trump’s executive order. The committee's unanimous ruling stated that “the summary dismissal of Dr. McCoul was not justified.”

The interim President, Tommy Williams, has acknowledged receipt of the committee's nonbinding recommendation and stated he will make a decision in the upcoming weeks. McCoul's lawyer, Amanda Reichek, expressed her concerns about the case potentially going to court, alleging that the university's reasoning for McCoul's firing was a facade to yield to political pressure.

Despite calls for an early end to her class following the incident, McCoul returned to teach later in the semester. Meanwhile, the university has also enacted a new policy requiring professors to seek approval from the school president to discuss certain race and gender topics, a move that has sparked controversy within the academic community.

McCoul had repeatedly taught the disputed course, which included discussions of LGBTQ+ themes and books. The confrontation has elicited significant backlash, particularly against former president Mark Welsh, who resigned but did not clarify the reasons behind it.