West Point’s only climate scientist fired after continuing to teach human causes of climate change

West Point fired its only climate scientist, Dr. Adam Kalkstein, after he refused to stop teaching cadets about the human causes of climate change. Kalkstein, who taught at the military academy for 17 years, says he was ordered last September to cut that material from his courses. In a tense meeting the following month, he told the academy's dean the order was immoral and possibly illegal, comparing it to teaching law without mentioning the Constitution. The dean reportedly responded that President Trump, as commander in chief, sets the agenda at West Point, then left the meeting. Kalkstein was terminated after this spring's semester and has sued, claiming the academy violated his First Amendment right to free speech.

This is the second lawsuit from a West Point educator over academic freedom this year. A law professor there sued after being told to "stop talking and sit down" for objecting to a policy requiring civilian faculty to get approval before publishing papers or giving speeches; the academy has since dropped its defense of that policy. Kalkstein's lawyer describes him as a conservative Republican who is not driven by politics but believes cadets need accurate information about climate change for national security reasons. West Point has acknowledged the allegations but declined to comment further.

This story is about academic freedom and climate policy inside a military institution — it doesn't involve any rebates, technology, or upgrades relevant to your own home.