WATCH: Texas A&M Student Booted From Lecture After Objecting To Professor Pushing Radical Gender Theory

A Texas A&M student was told to leave a lecture after pushing back on a professor promoting leftist gender ideas during a children’s literature course. 

Videos shared by Texas Republican State Rep. Brian Harrison on Monday show a student confronting Dr. Melissa McCoul during a children’s literature class, during which McCoul pushed leftist views on sex, gender, and race.

The class, which was aimed at getting students to “think critically about what [children’s literature] can tell us about how we (and others) understand childhood,” devoted considerable attention to sex, gender, and “queerness,” according to slides reviewed by The Daily Wire. One slide titled “Why talk about queerness at all?” denied that the sexual topic was inappropriate for young children. 

The student, who wishes to remain anonymous, told McCoul during one class that the course material went against President Donald Trump’s orders on gender and diversity, equity, and inclusion.

“Thinking that homosexuality or queer people are always ‘x-rated’ is an effect of heteronormativity, the idea that heterosexual or straight is normal as well as normative,” the slide reads. 

“This also goes against, not only myself, but a lot of people’s religious beliefs,” the student added. “And so I am not going to participate in this because it’s not legal.” 

McCoul then asked the student if she was “suggesting” that the teaching on gender and sex was “false.” 

“Yes,” the student said.

“You are under a misconception that what I’m saying is illegal,” the professor replied.

????CAUGHT ON TAPE: TEXAS A&M STUDENT KICKED OUT OF CLASS AFTER OBJECTING TO TRANSGENDER INDOCTRINATION… and A&M President defends “LGBTQ Studies.”

I’m referring @TAMU to the Trump Administration for investigation… and asking Gov @GregAbbott_TX to fire the A&M officials… pic.twitter.com/J6IWsfw62I

— Brian Harrison (@brianeharrison) September 8, 2025

McCoul then said that her teachings on gender identity and gender expression are “biologically true,” adding that she did not believe that the student would be able to stop her from teaching those ideas.

“Because I do have the legal and ethical authority [and] professional expertise in this classroom,” McCoul told the student. “It’s time for you to leave.” 

Video: Texas A&M Professor to student who objected to transgender indoctrination: “YOU’RE FREE TO LEAVE!” pic.twitter.com/c9eabNdo9X

— Brian Harrison (@brianeharrison) September 8, 2025

Harrison, who served as the chief of staff at the Department of Health and Human Services during Trump’s first term, told The Daily Wire that the videos show the Texas A&M professor is “absolutely engaged in transgender indoctrination.” He argued that McCoul and other A&M officials be fired.

“This is one of the clearest and most disgusting examples of taxpayer abuse and the weaponization of Texans’ tax money against them, against their values, against their children,” Harrison said. 

Trump signed an executive order on January 20 declaring, “It is the policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female.” In another executive order, Trump called DEI policies “illegal,” and the Trump administration has opened investigations into universities that push DEI programs on their students and faculty. Texas A&M has been awarded federal grants, including for its research on “forever chemicals” and its efforts to develop clean energy. 

A Texas A&M official told The Daily Wire, “We are aware of an isolated incident in which a summer course’s content was misaligned with the course curriculum. The college took steps in collaboration with faculty to ensure all course content aligns with the course curriculum moving forward.”

While the federal government has pushed back on DEI and radical leftist gender ideology, Republican-led Texas has fallen behind in putting a stop to radical ideas being promoted at universities, Harrison says.

“I have filed legislation for a long time now to stop taxpayer funding of DEI and transgender indoctrination, and every attempt legislatively to end this is killed by nominal Republicans in the Texas government,” the lawmaker added. 

In another clip, the A&M student tells McCoul, “I held my mouth closed this whole semester about my personal beliefs, but part of my rights is [that] this goes against my religion.” 

“So you are very free to leave, and now is the time to do that,” the professor said. After the confrontation, McCoul asked the class, “Are there other questions I can answer about the sex gender system or non-binary identities?” 

One book required in McCoul’s class was “Princess Princess Ever After,” a comic book story about a princess who is rescued from her tower prison by another princess. The two female characters fall in love, and the book ends with a gay wedding. “Princess Princess Ever After” is written for kids between the ages of 9 and 12, according to a review from lesbian culture website AfterEllen. 

Another slide showed a “Gender Unicorn” graph put together by Trans Student Educational Resources. Yet another slide was titled “Let’s talk gender in children’s lit!” and argued that “Childhood is the time for figuring out how to be a boy, girl, man, woman, or another gender.”  

The student who confronted McCoul about the leftist curriculum raised her concerns with the department head and eventually with Texas A&M President Mark Welsh. Texas A&M administrators then met with McCoul to discuss the class and decided to move McCoul to teach young adult literature instead of children’s literature. 

In a recorded phone call between the student and Welsh, the Texas A&M president stated that the university would review the children’s literature course and discuss providing more detailed descriptions of any classes that teach radical gender theory. Welsh told the student that “there’s not a problem” teaching LGBT literature as long as the university makes it clear it will be part of a class. 

When the student asked President Welsh if any more changes would be made, such as firing McCoul, Welsh accused the student of attempting to “pick a fight,” adding that the university would not punish the professor. 

Audio of student asking Texas A&M President to fire the professor who kicked her out and who was blatantly indoctrinating students in transgender ideology.

A&M President snaps back at student: “THAT’S NOT HAPPENING!”

Listen: pic.twitter.com/xK8QTrjzEi

— Brian Harrison (@brianeharrison) September 8, 2025

Harrison sent a letter to Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, along with a separate letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Education Secretary Linda McMahon on Monday, calling on the state and federal government to take action against Texas A&M. 

“I have previously referred Texas A&M to the Trump Administration for investigation into discriminatory DEI practices, and I am now expanding that request,” Harrison wrote. “Since the Texas government has not ended this taxpayer-funded liberal indoctrination, I am writing to respectfully request that you or other relevant divisions or agencies take any appropriate action(s) to ensure that Texas universities receiving federal funds are complying with President Trump’s Executive Orders.”

The Daily Wire has also reached out to the Department of Education, requesting comment.