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An Oklahoma college student alleged that she was discriminated against for her Christian beliefs after failing a class assignment, and conservative activists are backing up her claim.
According to HuffPost, Samantha Fulnecky, a junior at the University of Oklahoma, received an F on a psychology essay intended to analyze research on gender stereotypes in middle schoolers and their mental-health impacts.
Fulnecky, instead, chose to center her paper on Christian teachings, arguing that “women naturally want to do womanly things because God created us with those womanly desires in our hearts,” and calling the idea of multiple genders “demonic.”
Instructor Mel Curth gave the essay a zero for failing to engage with the assigned reading and for making contradictory, offensive claims without evidence. Curth noted in feedback that the grade had “nothing to do” with Fulnecky’s religious beliefs.
However, the University of Oklahoma chapter of Turning Point USA used the failed assignment to launch an attack against Curth, whom the organization publicly identified as transgender. The group argued that conservatives “can’t voice their beliefs in the classroom" and claimed Curth was “mentally ill” and unfit to teach.
Fulnecky filed a discrimination complaint with the university, claiming she was punished for exercising “freedom of speech” and her religious beliefs. The university placed Curth on administrative leave pending a full review, saying it takes First Amendment concerns seriously.
In a statement, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt called the situation “deeply concerning” and urged university regents to ensure students are not “unfairly penalized for their beliefs.”
The university’s investigation remains ongoing.
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