Oklahoma instructor pulled from teaching after failing Bible-based gender essay
The University of Oklahoma has removed a graduate teaching assistant from instructional duties after a student accused the instructor of religious discrimination for assigning a failing grade to a psychology paper that cited the Bible and described the promotion of a belief in multiple genders as “demonic.” In a statement posted Monday, the university said its internal review concluded the instructor acted in an “arbitrary” manner when awarding zero points to the assignment submitted by 20-year-old junior Samantha Fulnecky. The university said the instructor would no longer teach but declined to provide additional details beyond the written statement.
The instructor, Mel Curth, denied the allegation through her attorney, saying she did not engage in arbitrary grading and is considering legal options. The dispute quickly drew national attention after conservative commentators and advocacy groups framed the incident as an example of a student being punished for expressing Christian beliefs. The case became a flashpoint in the broader debate over academic freedom on college campuses, particularly as President Donald Trump pushes policies aimed at rolling back diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and limiting how universities address topics involving race, gender, and sexuality.
Fulnecky appealed the failing grade, which applied to an assignment worth about three percent of the course’s final grade. The university ultimately ruled that the assignment would not count toward her grade and placed Curth on leave before removing her from teaching duties. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican, publicly criticized the situation, calling it “deeply concerning.” In its statement, the university said it supports both faculty members’ academic freedom and students’ right to be evaluated using appropriate academic standards, adding that its mission is to teach students how to think rather than what to think.
The controversy unfolded against the backdrop of a new Oklahoma law that bars state universities from using public funds for DEI programs or mandatory DEI training, while explicitly preserving individual faculty members’ academic freedom and scholarly research. Fulnecky’s assignment was part of a lifespan development psychology course that asked students to write a response to an academic study examining whether conformity to gender norms was linked to popularity or bullying among middle school students. In her essay, Fulnecky rejected the premise of the study, writing that her religious beliefs do not recognize more than two genders and arguing that promoting multiple genders harms young people and leads society away from God’s plan.
In feedback on the paper, Curth wrote that the essay did not answer the assignment’s questions, relied on personal ideology rather than academic evidence, contained internal contradictions, and included content she described as offensive. Curth emphasized in her comments that the grade was not based on Fulnecky’s personal beliefs. Despite that explanation, the university concluded the grading was improper and took disciplinary action, leaving the incident as a highly visible example of the tensions between academic standards, religious expression, and free speech on college campuses.
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