A Texas A&M professor who was fired after over a gender identity lesson is suing the university, claiming she was fired for “exercising her academic freedom guaranteed under the First Amendment.”
Former English Literature professor Melissa McCoul accused university administrators of violating her free speech and due process rights in a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday in Houston.
McCoul was fired in September after secretly-recorded footage showing her arguing with a female student over gender identity being taught in a children’s literature course was shared online by GOP state Rep Brian Harrison. The argument centred around if the lesson violated an executive order issued by President Donald Trump.
Pressure also came from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, the lawsuit claim. Abbott’s chief of staff contacted the university to push for her firing, and that university officials decided not to give her a required hearing before firing her, the suit says, according to The Texas Tribune.
“Professor Melissa McCoul was terminated because of the content of her course; content that was consistent with her syllabus, the course description, and the approved purpose of the course,” the lawsuit says.
“Texas A&M University ran roughshod over Dr. McCoul’s due process rights in its haste to meet Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s demand that the University fire her,” it continues.
The Independent has contacted Texas A&M for comment.
McCoul is suing the Texas A&M University System, the nine regents, Chancellor Glenn Hegar, then-university President Mark A. Welsh III, interim President Tommy Williams and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs James Hallmark.
She is asking a judge to declare that she did not violate any laws or university policy, but was, instead, terminated for “exercising her academic freedom guaranteed under the First Amendment.”
McCoul is seeking reinstatement to her role and punitive damages, back pay and other restitution.
In a statement, she told the Tribune that she never would have thought about suing the university, describing teaching at Texas A&M, one of the country’s largest universities, as her “dream job.”
“There’s no satisfaction in doing this, only sadness,” she said. “I had hoped to keep doing that work for many years to come. Despite how I was treated, I still love the institution, my former colleagues, and the students of A&M. I hope that this lawsuit will cause the University to think twice about treating others similarly.”
Months after McCoul’s firing, Texas A&M decided to end its women’s and gender studies program, altering the syllabi of hundreds of courses. Six classes were also canceled as part of the new policy, which limits how professors can discuss race and gender.
“Strong oversight and standards protect academic integrity and restore public trust, guaranteeing that a degree from Texas A&M means something to our students and the people who will hire them,” Interim President Tommy Williams said in a news release following the change. “That has been our focus through this process and will remain our focus as we move forward.”
Texas A&M said the six courses that were canceled represent only 0.11% of the courses offered this semester.
The university also claimed that the decision to end the women’s and gender studies program was based, in part, on a lack of interest from students.
Source: independent.co.uk