University of Oklahoma announced on December 23, 2025 that it has removed a graduate student from teaching responsibilities after giving a Christian student a zero on her Bible-based essay, determining the grade was arbitrary.
The university examined the graduate teaching assistant’s previous grading patterns and statements about the matter before reaching its decision, according to an official statement. “The graduate teaching assistant was arbitrary in the grading of this specific paper,” officials said.
According to the College Fix, the controversy erupted after Christian student Samantha Fulnecky submitted a paper opposing modern gender ideology for her online psychology class. The assignment asked students to react to an article dealing with gender stereotypes and explain why they deemed the topic worthy of study.
Fulnecky argued that traditional gender roles should not be dismissed as stereotypes and that transgenderism deviates from God’s original design for humanity, Inside Higher Ed reported. “Society pushing the lie that there are multiple genders and everyone should be whatever they want to be is demonic and severely harms American youth,” she wrote.
Mel Curth, a graduate student who identifies as transgender, graded the essay and told Fulnecky the failing grade resulted from her lack of empirical evidence and offensive content, the OU Turning Point USA chapter wrote on social media.
Republican state lawmakers had recently threatened funding cuts over the incident.
Curth’s attorney, Brittany Stewart, told The Oklahoman her client may appeal. “Ms. Curth continues to deny that she engaged in any arbitrary behavior regarding the student’s work, and is considering all of her legal remedies,” Stewart said in a statement.
The university also announced Fulnecky’s grade appeal succeeded, with the assignment removed completely from her final calculation and resulting in no academic harm. Officials said the discrimination claim has been investigated and concluded but would not release specific findings.
