A University of Oklahoma instructor has been placed on leave after giving a student a zero on an essay that cited the Bible and called the idea of multiple genders "demonic," reports the New York Times. The controversy began when psychology major Samantha Fulnecky, 20, submitted a reaction paper for a "Lifespan Development" class, in which she rejected the premise of a scholarly article on gender and mental health, instead arguing that God created only two genders, reports the New York Times.
The instructor, a transgender graduate student identified by the Advocate as Mel Curth, explained that the essay didn't answer the assignment's questions, relied on personal ideology rather than empirical evidence, and was at times "highly offensive," per the Oklahoman, which shows Fulnecky's paper in full, as well as a transcript of the feedback from her instructors. The university launched a formal grade appeal and announced that Fulnecky's grade wouldn't be impacted by the essay, per the Times.
The story gained traction after the university chapter of Turning Point USA posted about it on social media, where it drew millions of views and prompted Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt to call for a review of the case. Fulnecky, who's a pre-med student, said she'd received good grades in the class prior to this assignment and felt she was being punished for her religious beliefs. "My goal in all of this is not to cause divisiveness but to encourage people to stand up for what they believe," she said. The instructor declined to comment, citing legal advice.
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