Fulnecky accused the instructor of religious discrimination, claiming she deserved a perfect score as she had followed the same writing style in previous assignments. The Turning Point USA chapter at OU shared the essay online, sparking a debate on religious freedom and academic standards.
In late 2025, a controversy arose at the University of Oklahoma involving a student named and a transgender graduate teaching assistant named Mel Curth, who gave Fulnecky a failing grade on a psychology essay about gender roles. Here are the key details regarding the incident: she male samanta
The incident sparked a wider debate about academic freedom, with some defending the instructor's right to demand scientific methodology, while others argued the student was targeted for her faith. Here are the key details regarding the incident:
Fulnecky, a junior psychology major, wrote an essay arguing that there are only two genders and that gender roles are dictated by God. She characterized the idea of "multiple genders" as "demonic" and argued that God "intentionally created women differently than men". Students were asked to write a 650-word response
Students were asked to write a 650-word response to an academic study exploring how peer pressure and social interaction influence gender norm adherence in middle schoolers.
The instructor, Mel Curth, gave the essay a zero out of 25 (0/25), stating it failed to use empirical evidence and relied solely on ideology, rather than addressing the prompt.
The University of Oklahoma placed the instructor on leave, stating the grading was "arbitrary," and ultimately removed them from teaching duties. The university noted the failing grade would not affect the student's standing.