Texas A&M admins demoted over LGBT courses; lawmakers call for terminations

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Texas A&M University administrators have been stripped of their titles by the school president for apparently allowing course content that was not consistent with class descriptions. 

Now, state lawmakers are calling for those professors, and even the A&M president himself, to be fired for allegedly allowing LGBT coursework into the school. 

Texas A&M admin demotions

What we know:

"Key leaders" in the Texas A&M College of Arts and Sciences have been removed from their department positions, school President Mark A. Welsh III announced Monday night. 

Welsh attributed the demotions to misleading course descriptions, saying the school must keep its word and prevent students from being let down. 

The president's full statement reads as follows:

"I learned this afternoon that key leaders in the College of Arts and Sciences approved plans to continue teaching course content that was not consistent with the course’s published description. As a result, I directed the provost to remove the dean and department head from their administrative positions, effective immediately. Our students use the published information in the course catalog to make important decisions about the courses they take in pursuit of their degrees. 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."

Texas politicians want A&M leaders fired

What they're saying:

Following Welsh's announcement, Gov. Greg Abbott called for the leaders who lost their titles to be fired. 

"Good," Abbott said. "Now, fire the professor who acted contrary to Texas law."

State Rep. Brian Harrison (R-Midlothian), didn't consider Abbott's stance aggressive enough. Harrison, a Texas Aggie himself, has been vocal about A&M's LGBT coursework. 

"Not ‘good’ enough," Harrison posted. "The PRESIDENT must also be fired."

Texas A&M LGBT confrontation video

The backstory:

The school has come under fire for a video that began circulating showing a student confronting a professor over alleged LGBT content in a children's literature course. 

The video, which identifies no involved parties, appears to depict an A&M instructor defending such content. 

Harrison's most recent crusade to rid the school of LGBT studies proponents began late Monday morning following the release of the video.

Further audio was later released from an alleged conversation between Welsh and a student, which again shows no faces, in which Welsh appears to be heard confirming that the school has LGBT-related coursework. 

Is teaching LGBT content legal in Texas?

Dig deeper:

In the video of the classroom confrontation, the student references an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on Jan. 20, titled "DEFENDING WOMEN FROM GENDER IDEOLOGY EXTREMISM AND RESTORING BIOLOGICAL TRUTH TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT."

In part, the order prevents federal funds from being used to promote gender ideology. It also defines gender as male and female, excluding any other identities. 

In 2023, Texas banned DEI offices and programs at public universities. 

On Jan. 1, 2026, Senate Bill 37 will go into effect, giving regents more power over course content in public universities. 

EducationTexas PoliticsGreg AbbottTexas