Video of clash over gender-identity content in Texas A&M children’s lit class leads to firings

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Facing growing political pressure, Texas A&M University President Mark A. Welsh III announced Monday evening that the dean and department head overseeing a children’s literature course at the center of a viral recording were going to be removed, saying they approved plans to teach material inconsistent with the published course description.

The announcement came after a video circulated online Monday showing a student confronting a professor over LGBTQ-related content in the class, sparking backlash from Republican lawmakers and calls for investigations, a response from the U.S. Department of Justice, and a statement from the Texas A&M System chancellor pledging to discipline the professor.

“Our students use the published information in the course catalog to make important decisions about the courses they take in pursuit of their degrees,” Welsh said in a statement posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, late Monday. “If we allow different course content to be taught from what is advertised, we let our students down. When it comes to our academic offerings, we must keep our word to our students and to the state of Texas."

It was not immediately clear Monday whether the College of Arts and Sciences dean or department head will remain employed at the university in other roles.

Welsh’s announcement marks a sharp turn from his comments captured in one of the clips circulated Monday, in which he told a student upset about the content that “firing” the professor was “not happening.” His statement follows mounting political pressure from Republican lawmakers, including Texas Rep. Brian Harrison, R-Midlothian, who posted the clips online and called on state and federal officials to investigate.

Also Monday night, Texas A&M System Chancellor Glenn Hegar said he would work with the Board of Regents to discipline a professor after the video drew national attention.

“It is unacceptable for A&M System faculty to push a personal political agenda,” Hegar said in a statement. “We have been tasked with training the next generation of teachers and childcare professionals. That responsibility should prioritize protecting children, not engaging in indoctrination.”

The video, which does not show anyone’s face, captures audio of a student objecting to a professor teaching that there are more than two genders. The student says this conflicts with President Donald J. Trump’s executive order and her religious beliefs, and the professor responds she has a right to teach the lesson and the student has a right to leave. It is unclear when the video was shot, and Texas A&M officials have not identified the student or the professor involved.

In one of the video clips circulated Monday, Welsh can be heard asking the student, “What do you expect us to do? Fire her?” When the student replies, “Yes,” Welsh responds, “Well, that’s not happening.”

Several Republican lawmakers have since called for Welsh’s removal, and Harmeet K. Dhillon, assistant attorney general for Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, who wrote on X that the incident was “deeply concerning” and said the agency would “look into” it. The Justice Department and Texas A&M University officials did not immediately respond to questions or provide additional information about the incident Monday.

Hegar said an initial review found that the professor “failed to comply with clear instructions to align course descriptions with course materials, adding that similar issues “continue to be an issue with this professor.” Chris Bryan, Texas A&M System spokesperson, declined to provide additional information Monday.

Harrison, a Texas A&M alum and former Trump administration official, has clashed with Welsh for months over diversity, equity and inclusion policies. In May, he accused Texas A&M of “egregious discrimination” by offering DEI-related courses and “targeted student recruitment.” Welsh has denied violating the law or discriminating.

Abbott threatened to fire Welsh in January over the university’s decision to attend a conference hosted by The PhD Project, an organization that seeks to increase diversity in classrooms and corporations. Welsh defended the decision as legally permissible under the state’s DEI ban, but later reversed course and the university did not participate.

Welsh became Texas A&M’s president in 2023, the same year Texas lawmakers passed a ban on DEI offices and programs at public universities. He took over after the resignation of former President M. Katherine Banks, and since then, Republican leaders have moved aggressively to assert more control over higher education.

This incident also comes as public universities prepare to implement Senate Bill 37, a new law taking effect Jan. 1 that gives regents more power over curricula. It directs regents to review their schools’ curriculum periodically and to consolidate or eliminate low enrollment programs, a move critics warn could be used to target programs unpopular with the Texas Legislature’s conservative majority.

The Texas Tribune partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage.

Disclosure: Texas A&M University and Texas A&M University System have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

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