West Point Professor Challenges Tenure Loss Over Climate Change Curriculum

Former tenured West Point professor Dr. Adam Kalkstein is challenging restrictions on how climate change can be taught at the U.S. Military Academy, raising questions about academic freedom, constitutional rights, and military education. In this episode of We Are the Government, host Dipka Hesse speaks with Kalkstein about his 17-year career at West Point, the orders he says prevented faculty from teaching about any anthropomorphic effect on climate change, and the circumstances surrounding the Academy's decision not to renew his contract. Kalkstein explains why he believes these restrictions undermine science education and military preparedness. He also discusses the Pentagon's changes to faculty tenure, his ongoing research to prevent heat-related injuries among soldiers, and the personal and professional consequences of challenging academy leadership. The conversation looks at a key question: How should military institutions balance command authority, scientific evidence, and academic freedom? Topics include: *West Point's restrictions on teaching human impact on climate change *The First Amendment lawsuit and academic freedom *Changes to civilian faculty tenure at military academies *Climate science and U.S. national security *Research designed to protect soldiers from extreme heat —————— We Are the Government is a podcast produced as a time capsule for America's 250th anniversary, preserving the stories and contributions of those who have helped build our republic. Host/Executive Producer: Dipka Hesse X: @DBHesse LinkedIn: ⁠linkedin.com/dipkabhambhani⁠ YouTube: @WeAreTheGovernment-250 Thank you to our great team who helped make this episode possible. A special thanks to Mathew John for his creative counsel and support, without which this wouldn’t be possible. Senior Adviser: Richard Taliaferro (richard@richard.taliaferro.com) Editor: Axel Soderland (axelfromdc@gmail.com) Cover Artist: David Zerba (zerba.david@gmail.com) https://open.spotify.com/show/78VK8AV... https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-we...