A former Texas A&M lecturer filed federal suit this week alleging the university violated her First Amendment and due-process rights after firing her following a viral classroom video. Melissa McCoul was dismissed in September after state lawmakers and conservative critics demanded her removal for discussing gender identity in a children’s literature class. The complaint says university officials shifted their stated reasons and that the dismissal occurred within a day of lawmakers’ public calls for action. McCoul’s lawsuit names university leaders including the system chancellor and the Board of Regents and seeks damages and reinstatement. Two internal reviews previously found procedural problems with how the dismissal was handled, and the firing prompted broader changes at Texas A&M, including ending the women’s and gender studies program and revising course approval processes. The suit signals escalating litigation risk for public universities responding to external political pressure over classroom content.