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Who is Mark Welsh? Texas A&M president steps down after gender lessons video controversy
Mark A. Welsh III stepped down as Texas A&M President following backlash from a video about gender lessons that led to the professor's termination.
Texas A&M University President Mark A. Welsh III is stepping down from his position following widespread criticism stemming from an incident involving a controversial classroom video, which led to the professor's termination. Welsh's resignation announcement was made on Thursday by Texas A&M University System Chancellor Glenn Hegar, who stated that it was “the right moment for change” at one of the country's largest universities.
In his statement, Hager said, “Together, we believe this transition is necessary to ensure Texas A&M is well positioned for the future, a future that demands bold leadership, continued innovation, and an unwavering commitment to the core values of this university to meet the challenges we face,” as reported by The New York Post. However, he did not mention the video in his statement
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About Mark Welsh
The controversial video showed a student protesting a children's literature lesson on gender. Welsh's departure follows a period of scrutiny, as the video ignited a wave of controversy on campus and drew sharp criticism from Republican lawmakers, including Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick.
Welsh was named the 27th president of Texas A&M University on December 12, 2023, according to the Texas A&M University website. He was born in San Antonio and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science from the U.S. Air Force Academy and then a Master of Science degree in computer resource management from Webster University. He graduated from prestigious military colleges, including the Army Command and General Staff College, the Air War College, and the National War College.
Welsh was previously the dean of the Bush School of Government and Public Service after he retired from the US Air Force. He was also a recipient of several awards and decorations during his long military career, including the Defense Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, and Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster.
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Gender identity video controversy
The controversy began when Melissa McCoul, a long-serving English department lecturer, was accused of teaching “gender ideology” to children after introducing the students to a “gender unicorn” tool. However, the student cited President Donald Trump's position that only two genders exist and argued that the lesson was “not legal”.
Over a week ago, Welsh announced that he directed the provost to dismiss McCoul after facing pressure from Republican lawmakers, including Gov. Greg Abbott, according to The New York Post. He added that she was fired after he learned that she continued to teach the content in the children's literature course "that did not align with any reasonable expectation of standard curriculum for the course.”
The dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and the head of the English Department were also removed from their positions, while a wider audit of the courses was ordered across all 12 A&M campuses.
