An Oklahoma college student is speaking out after being failed by her teaching assistant for defending Christian and biological views on gender in an essay. Samantha Fulnecky, a junior pre-med student at the University of Oklahoma, earned a zero on a lifespan development class assignment after arguing that gender is binary as defined by God and science, rooted in Biblical principles like Genesis. The essay, which responded to an article on gender norms and mental health, emphasized reinforcing traditional roles to protect children from “demonic” societal pressures promoting fluid identities. Her transgender graduate TA, Mel Curth, dismissed the work as lacking evidence, offensive, and contradictory to “scientific consensus,” while praising transgender ideology—exposing a clear double standard for conservative viewpoints.
The assignment called for a subjective reaction paper, yet Fulnecky was penalized for incorporating her faith-based perspective, with Curth’s feedback decrying the essay’s “personal ideology over empirical evidence” and labeling references to demonic influences as harmful to “minoritized populations.” Fulnecky appealed, pointing out that peers promoting gender fluidity received passing grades, but the TA upheld the zero, accusing her of lacking empathy and contradicting established associations on non-binary gender.
This incident, which Fulnecky described as punishment for her beliefs, quickly went viral on social media, drawing widespread support and underscoring how universities weaponize “inclusivity” to silence dissenting voices on core moral issues. After public backlash, the University of Oklahoma launched a formal grade appeal, placed Curth on administrative leave, and reassigned the course to a full-time professor, affirming they take First Amendment and religious freedom concerns seriously to prevent academic harm. However, Fulnecky contested the school’s timeline, claiming no prior contact until their public statement, and no apology or grade correction has been issued.
As she urges other students to push back against such bias, her story galvanizes calls for reforms like viewpoint-neutral grading, protection of free speech, and defunding schools that prioritize woke indoctrination over genuine education.
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