West Point Professor Graham Parsons Resigns in Protest of Politically Driven Curriculum Overhaul
Graham Parsons, an associate professor of philosophy at the USMA at West Point, has resigned, a major development. He cited worries about recent educational improvements that were inspired by the Trump administration. In a New York Times op-ed, Parsons, who has worked at the academy for 13 years, explained his choice, saying that the school is departing from its core pedagogical principles.
Professor Graham Parsons
Graham Parsons, a philosophy professor at West Point, resigned after more than ten years of service in a daring action that has generated national discussion. He cited serious concerns about politically motivated curricular modifications at the U.S. Military Academy. Parsons explained his resignation in a public opinion piece, claiming that the school’s dedication to academic integrity and critical thought is jeopardised by recent educational innovations.
Parsons attacked the university for enforcing rules that resulted in the suppression of scholarly works considered “un-American,” such as critiques of the country’s founding texts and lessons on gender ideology. He pointed out that authors like Toni Morrison and James Baldwin were taken off of curricula, and classes on gender, race, and power dynamics were dropped. Additionally, academics’ capacity to undertake unfiltered research was hindered by their inability to engage in public intellectual activity without departmental consent.
The Trump administration
The revisions, Parsons said, were a result of orders from the Trump administration to eliminate content deemed “woke” or “un-American.” In addition to removing important authors like Toni Morrison and James Baldwin from reading lists, this also involved removing courses that dealt with issues of racism, gender, and social power structures. Parsons voiced concern about what he called the stifling of critical viewpoints and the decline of intellectual variety in the humanities.
Parsons wrote, “What we are seeing is censorship, not reform.” “A leadership corps with the capacity for moral thinking and sophisticated intellect is essential to the military’s strength. That goal is compromised when scholarly research is suppressed.
Parsons’ departure raises concerns about academic freedom and the function of military academies in promoting critical thinking, highlighting the continuous conflicts between political commands and higher education institutions.
Introduction
Under the leadership of Secretary Pete Hegseth, who was selected by Trump, the Department of Defence has defended the modifications, claiming that they are in line with the administration’s objectives to depoliticise military education. “You will not be missed, Professor Parsons,” Hegseth said bluntly in response to Parsons’ resignation.
Critics counter that the new regulations amount to a risky politicisation of the military institution. Parsons’ resignation is seen by many in academia and the general public as a moral stand for educational freedom.
Graham Parsons’ resignation is a turning point in the ongoing national discussion about the relationship between politics, education, and military leadership as West Point negotiates these contentious reforms.
Concerns regarding the politicisation of education and its effects on the formation of future military commanders are reflected in this resignation.
In his now-viral op-ed, Parsons expressed deep concerns over what he described as a “politicization” of West Point’s curriculum, which he believes threatens the academy’s mission to educate principled leaders. He cited specific curriculum changes—such as the removal of readings by prominent Black and female authors and a shift away from discussing topics like race, gender, and power—as fundamentally at odds with the military’s need for culturally and morally literate officers.
“This is not about ideology,” Parsons wrote. “This is about protecting the integrity of education in one of the most important institutions in the country.”
