Melissa McCoul, a former English lecturer at Texas A&M, filed suit alleging the university violated her First Amendment and due‑process rights when it fired her after a viral classroom video and political pressure from state lawmakers. The complaint contends university officials cited shifting justifications for dismissal and that McCoul’s classroom content was consistent with her syllabus and course purpose. The case arrives amid systemwide changes at Texas institutions—including the shutdown of some programs and audits of course content—following state directives on curricula. Legal experts say the suit will test boundaries between campus academic freedom and state political oversight, and could attract national attention given ongoing litigation around similar dismissals.