Texas A&M fires lecturer, administrators over classroom gender discussion caught on video

Michie · Sep 14, 2025

Texas A&M University (TAMU) has fired a senior lecturer and two administrators after a Republican lawmaker shared a video of a classroom discussion on gender identity in violation of state law.

The controversy erupted after state Rep. Brian Harrison shared a hidden-camera video online on Sept. 8 showing English lecturer Melissa McCoul dismissing a student who objected to the lesson, which was discussed as part of a children’s literature course.

In one of the undated videos, an unidentified female student is engaged in a discussion with McCoul over content related to gender identity. “This also very much goes against not only myself but a lot of people’s religious beliefs. And so, I am not going to participate in this because it’s not legal and I don’t want to promote something that is against our president’s laws as well as against my religious beliefs,” the student says in the video.

“If you are uncomfortable in this class, you do have the right to leave. What we are doing is not illegal,” McCoul responds.

Continued below.

Texas A&M fires lecturer, administrators over classroom gender discussion caught on video

Texas A M University TAMU has fired a senior lecturer and two administrators after a Republican lawmaker shared a video of a classroom discussion on gender identity in violation of state law

www.christianpost.com

Tropical Wilds · Sep 14, 2025

Michie said:
Texas A&M University (TAMU) has fired a senior lecturer and two administrators after a Republican lawmaker shared a video of a classroom discussion on gender identity in violation of state law.

The controversy erupted after state Rep. Brian Harrison shared a hidden-camera video online on Sept. 8 showing English lecturer Melissa McCoul dismissing a student who objected to the lesson, which was discussed as part of a children’s literature course.

In one of the undated videos, an unidentified female student is engaged in a discussion with McCoul over content related to gender identity. “This also very much goes against not only myself but a lot of people’s religious beliefs. And so, I am not going to participate in this because it’s not legal and I don’t want to promote something that is against our president’s laws as well as against my religious beliefs,” the student says in the video.

“If you are uncomfortable in this class, you do have the right to leave. What we are doing is not illegal,” McCoul responds.

Continued below.

Texas A&M fires lecturer, administrators over classroom gender discussion caught on video

Texas A M University TAMU has fired a senior lecturer and two administrators after a Republican lawmaker shared a video of a classroom discussion on gender identity in violation of state law

www.christianpost.com

Gig ‘em Aggies. Hoped for better from them, but it’s hard to stand up against legislation that silences teachers.

Only 3 more years.

DaisyDay · Sep 14, 2025

Michie said:
Texas A&M University (TAMU) has fired a senior lecturer and two administrators after a Republican lawmaker shared a video of a classroom discussion on gender identity in violation of state law.

The controversy erupted after state Rep. Brian Harrison shared a hidden-camera video online on Sept. 8 showing English lecturer Melissa McCoul dismissing a student who objected to the lesson, which was discussed as part of a children’s literature course.

In one of the undated videos, an unidentified female student is engaged in a discussion with McCoul over content related to gender identity. “This also very much goes against not only myself but a lot of people’s religious beliefs. And so, I am not going to participate in this because it’s not legal and I don’t want to promote something that is against our president’s laws as well as against my religious beliefs,” the student says in the video.

“If you are uncomfortable in this class, you do have the right to leave. What we are doing is not illegal,” McCoul responds.

Continued below.

Texas A&M fires lecturer, administrators over classroom gender discussion caught on video

Texas A M University TAMU has fired a senior lecturer and two administrators after a Republican lawmaker shared a video of a classroom discussion on gender identity in violation of state law

www.christianpost.com

The course description:

ENGL 360 Literature for Children

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Representative writers, genres, texts and movements. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification.

Is gender identity not a genre or movement in literature for children?

Hans Blaster · Sep 14, 2025

Tropical Wilds said:
Gig ‘em Aggies. Hoped for better from them, but it’s hard to stand up against legislation that silences teachers.

Only 3 more years.

The relevant elections for control of Texas are in 14 months.

Tropical Wilds · Sep 14, 2025

Hans Blaster said:
The relevant elections for control of Texas are in 14 months.

I worry that, in 14 months, it won’t matter what states do.

ThatRobGuy · Sep 14, 2025

In this instance, this a college course.

While I've been a very vocal opponent of certain concepts of this topic being discussed in lower academia... college students are adults, and should have a thicker skin.

And based on the text of the exchange, it doesn't sound like the student was kicked out of the class.

“This also very much goes against not only myself but a lot of people’s religious beliefs. And so, I am not going to participate in this because it’s not legal and I don’t want to promote something that is against our president’s laws as well as against my religious beliefs,” the student says in the video.

“If you are uncomfortable in this class, you do have the right to leave. What we are doing is not illegal,” McCoul responds.

First off, "our presidents laws" is an odd way for the student to frame that... Presidents don't "have"/make laws.

Second, college courses shouldn't be beholden to religious beliefs. If a Med school student is a Jehovah's witness and objects to classes covering blood transfusions, the appropriate action would be to tell them they have the option to leave... not change the curriculum for everyone else.

Thirdly, "you have the right to leave" isn't the same as getting kicked out.

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Texas A&M fires lecturer, administrators over classroom gender discussion caught on video

Michie

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