Texas A&M President Steps Down Amid Dispute Over Classroom Video on Gender Identity

Mark Welsh’s exit follows a dispute over a children’s literature lesson that a Republican lawmaker said amounted to ‘LGBTQ indoctrination.’

Texas A&M University President Mark A. Welsh III is resigning after a classroom video showing a student objecting to a children’s literature lesson on gender identity set off a political firestorm that culminated in the firing of a longtime professor and scrutiny from state leaders.

Chancellor Glenn Hegar announced on Sept. 19 that Welsh would step down effective Friday at 5 p.m., calling it “the right moment for change” at one of the nation’s largest universities. He did not address the video or the controversy it stirred.

“President Welsh is a man of honor who has led Texas A&M with selfless dedication,” Hegar said in a statement. “At the same time, we agree that now is the right moment to make a change and to position Texas A&M for continued excellence in the years ahead.”

Board of Regents Chairman Robert Albritton praised Welsh’s service, noting his career as a U.S. Air Force general and former member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, but said the university faced challenges that demanded new leadership.

In his resignation letter, Welsh thanked faculty, staff, and students, calling his two years at the helm “a remarkable gift.” He said serving as president “for even a minute is an incredible privilege” and praised students for showing him “that respecting others is the front door to a respected life.”

“You have always inspired me … and I’m gonna miss you,” Welsh wrote, signing off with the school’s trademark slogan: “Thank YOU and Gig ’em.”

The departure follows weeks of upheaval after Republican state Rep. Brian Harrison, an A&M alumnus, posted a series of undercover recordings earlier this month. In one clip, a student challenged English department senior lecturer Melissa McCoul during a children’s literature class that included discussion of gender identity. The student said the lesson violated her religious beliefs and questioned the legality of the instructional content, citing a Trump administration directive recognizing only two sexes. McCoul told the student she was free to leave the classroom.

Harrison accused the university of promoting “DEI [diversity, equity, and inclusion] and LGBTQ indoctrination” and urged Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and other officials to intervene. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick criticized Welsh’s handling of the case, saying his response to the student’s concerns had been “unacceptable.”

By Tom Ozimek

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