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45
Trans Instructor Ousted From College After Failing Student Who Cited The Bible In A Gender Essay
The removal of a transgender graduate assistant at the University of Oklahoma after she failed a psychology student has ignited a fierce online debate.
On Sunday, November 30, the university announced that course instructor Mel Curth would no longer teach after the student, Samantha Fulnecky, publicly challenged her failing grade.
Highlights
- A psychology assignment sparked a national debate after student Samantha Fulnecky claimed her failing grade amounted to religious “illegal discrimination.”
- The university issued a response supporting the student’s claims, while faculty members have backed transgender professor Mel Curth in her decision.
- Social media has lit up with reactions, from those calling Samantha’s essay “offensive” to others criticizing the professor for “preaching her ideologies.”
The dispute centers on Fulnecky’s use of a Bible verse in an essay on gender stereotypes, something that has since split the internet, with both sides voicing strong reactions.
“Another Blatant Attack On Faith And Religion,” wrote one social media user.
RELATED:
Samantha Fulnecky filed an illegal discrimination complaint against Mel Curth with the university administrators
Image credits: samantha_fulnecky
The assignment given to students in the psychology course was about how people are perceived based on societal expectations of gender.
Samantha Fulnecky’s 650-word final submission was reportedly a strongly worded critique of the idea that multiple genders exist.
She cited the Bible several times, arguing that traditional gender roles should not be considered stereotypes because “that is how God made us.”
She also claimed that children today are being negatively influenced by a belief in multiple genders.
Image credits: The University of Oklahoma
She wrote, “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.”
“I live my life based on this truth and firmly believe that there would be less gender issues and insecurities in children if they were raised knowing that they do not belong to themselves, but they belong to the Lord.”
Mel Curth quickly graded the opinionated essay an F and gave it 0 points out of 25, stating that Samantha’s submission focused more on “personal ideology” rather than “empirical evidence.”
The now-dismissed psychology instructor is a transgender faculty member who uses she/they pronouns
Image credits: Mike Maloney
She also labeled certain points made by the student as “at times offensive.”
Curth further wrote in her explanation, “To call an entire group of people ‘demonic’ is highly offensive, especially a minoritized population.”
“You can say that strict gender norms don’t create gender stereotypes, but that isn’t true by definition of what a stereotype is. Please note that acknowledging gender stereotypes does not immediately denote a negative connotation, a nuance this article discusses.”
She then urged Samantha to “apply some more perspective and empathy” in her future work.
Image credits: lanebrown_3
However, the student filed a discrimination complaint with the institution, which placed Mel on leave and later released a lengthy statement on X explaining its decision.
The university’s statement began by emphasizing that it “takes seriously concerns involving First Amendment rights, certainly including religious freedoms.”
Officials noted that they “acted swiftly” to place the accused professor on leave and stressed that they have “a clear process for reviewing such claims, and it has been activated.”
“It’s psychology, not theology… You can’t cite the bible on any essay outside of a religious or theological course,” wrote one defender of Mel
Image credits: Mike Maloney
“OU remains firmly committed to fairness, respect and protecting every student’s right to express sincerely held religious beliefs.”
The investigation remains ongoing as the university awaits “the finalization of this process.”
One social media user strongly criticized Mel’s decision to fail the student, writing, “Expressing Christian doctrine in a personal essay is not an attack — it’s protected speech… That’s not education — that’s ideological enforcement.”
Image credits: Mike Maloney
They continued, “This is exactly why conservatives don’t feel safe speaking openly in classrooms anymore — because too many professors let their ideology run the show.”
Others strongly defended the professor for “doing the right thing,” arguing that “religion” has no place in a psychology assignment.
One supporter wrote, “Full support for the professor in this matter. If you cannot follow the instructions and standards for assignments then you should not be attending a university.”
Curth failed the student for lacking “empirical evidence” in her 650-word essay, which she also described as “at times offensive”
Image credits: samantha_fulnecky
Another commented, “The fact that the professor is Trans has got nothing to do with it… Someone who thinks the Bible can be used as a source shouldn’t even be in college.”
“How disgusting. How can you be in psychology with these beliefs?? Absolutely horribly evil!”
Amid the controversy, the instructor for another section of the same course, Megan Waldron, backed Mel’s original grade and said she also found Samantha’s essay “concerning.”
Image credits: tpusa_ou
Image credits: The University of Oklahoma
Waldron wrote, “Your paper directly and harshly criticizes your peers and their opinions, which are just as valuable as yours. Disagreeing with others is fine, but there is a respectful way to go about it.”
However, it appears that Fulnecky’s family supports her decision to take action against the professor.
Image credits: Kristi Krittenbrink Fulnecky
Samantha’s mother, Kristi Fulnecky, shared a Facebook post on November 26, just days before the story made global headlines, praising her daughter as “a warrior of Christ.”
Social media users remained strongly divided as the controversy escalated into a national debate and quickly made international headlines
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What do you think ?
FreeTheUnicorn 4 days ago
You can't cite religious beliefs in a college paper without backing it up with relevance - you can use it to show general trends or common arguments but you can't cite God You could just as easily cite texts or traditions from a culture that traditionally recognises a third gender the paper failed because it isn't college level writing, not because the student's faith is wrong this isn't an attack on faith this is just someone who isn't smart enough to make a bachelor level argument for their own position.
arthbach 4 days ago
I was quite horrified that the student thought her essay was at a university level grade. Psychology is one of the social sciences, and a scientific approach is required. Reciting religious rhetoric is most definitely not sufficient to pass a psychology course. - - - Both tutors have given excellent feedback, and if she had heeded their words she would have been able to turn in a passing assignment.
Load More Replies...
Nova Rook 4 days ago (edited)
If she can just write that it is all about god for this essay then she can just keep doing it for every essay. Engineering? God made the rules? Sociology? We are as god made us. Pretty girl will get a lot of money though - bigotry while posing as a victim pays well.
Thanos'Fingers 4 days ago
And then she'll turn into her mom, become miserable, and raise another gaggle of kids to be horrible human beings along with a man she likely despises as much as herself. Good luck Fullneckys.
Load More Replies...
Nikki Sevven 4 days ago
Citing a religious text as proof of topic is grounds for failing the essay.
TruthoftheHeart 4 days ago (edited)
And that student should very much get a failed grade for citing religion as reason for anything on a paper. Unless its a paper on religion then your religion needs to stay out of school in every aspect. And especially if it's something that's going to go towards that person's career. Just look what happens when we let doctors decide their religion plays a role in who they treat and how they treat..
and_a_touch_of_the_’tism 3 days ago
As near as I can tell from this clickbaity article, she got an F because she didn’t do the assignment as instructed, not because of her beliefs. Also, suing over one F? Really? Remind who the snowflakes are?
LakotaWolf (she/her) 3 days ago
She failed the assignment because she used the Bible as a factual source. The Bible is not a factual source. It is a fiction novel.
Load More Replies...
Michael Largey 4 days ago
If the assignment I gave you was to prove the Pythagorean Theorem, and you turn in the Apostle's Creed instead, I'm not persecuting your religion for giving you an F.
Multa Nocte 4 days ago
I'd have failed her as well. Empirical evidence was required, wasn't provided, case closed. A bigoted little troll then caused problems because she didn't get her bigoted religious way in a public - not religious - university. If you can't play with the big kids and follow big kid instructions, stay out of university. But Oklahoma is all kinds of fucked up right now. I used to live there.
Tamra 3 days ago
I used to live there, too. Born and raised. Educationally and socially, they are still very much a stunted state. One of my happiest days was putting that place in my rearview. There's a reason they're number 50 in education.
Load More Replies... Danielle Buchanan 3 days ago
She did not meet the requirements of the assignment. She made up her own topic and supported her own topic. On top of that, hers was an opinion essay, but the required essay was supposed to be informative.
Becca not Becky 3 days ago
Opinions aside for a second. Based on the information here, she could have referenced the Bible as a source of cultural norms that shaped modern views, and that could have worked ("the Bible says X, so many people today believe X"). Instead, this is just an angsty tirade that neither reflects college level writing skills nor philosophical thought processes. This is not discrimination, it's not knowing how to write an essay. More importantly, I think this girl set it all up to make herself look persecuted.
Roni Stone 4 days ago
As a former TA, I, too, would have failed this essay, at least from the portion we have available to read. Religious texts have not been considered sources of empirical evidence for centuries, at least in western educational systems. Unless it was assigned as an "opinion essay", this essay was a logical fallacy almost in its entirety.
Lucreza Borgia 3 hours ago
But she failed to even cite the bible properly...
Load More Replies...
Lee Gilliland 4 days ago
The old testament is a group of folk tales written down in ancient times, and there is little historical proof Jesus actually existed. The Bible is at best unreliable as far as it's facts are concerned. It should be considered fiction, and therefore has no place in science.
Emilu 3 days ago (edited)
She didn't get marked down because of discrimination; she got marked down because she was objectively incorrect. Not only is the concept of 'God' a concept only to certain religions, the Bible wasn't written by God. It may as well be (and many may say that it is) fiction. Just because you and your family may be religious, that doesn't mean that everyone is -- or that it constitutes critical thinking at university level. In fact, it shows the opposite -- that you have no idea what critical thinking is because you're too wrapped up in your "God is good!" notions.
Christopher Denney 4 days ago
Religious fanatics, of the christian persuasion, have been complaining forever about any resistance to their forcing Christianity on everyone around them as "persecution" or discrimination. They think their bible compels them to force everyone else to become christian, and any attempt to stop them is wrong.
Dragon Ashes 3 days ago
If I had written something like that in college I would have been failed and I went to a Christian college.
Anne Edwards 3 days ago
It would only be fair if every other essay was reviewed to determine whether their writing with passing grades was better, worse or similar to the failing grade one.
Bridgette Nutter 1 day ago
She could have written an essay that made her point in a way that deserved a higher grade. There are actual sources and scientific journals that support her opinion too. She choose to rant and quote the bible and put emotion into her paper instead of taking a mature, well researched and thought out approach. She deserved the F and this is not religious persecution. This almost feels like she wrote the paper she knew would get an F so she could claim that it's persecution. This is from someone who believes gender ideology is harmful. She wrote an F worthy opinion piece and didn't do the topic justice.
Earonn - 2 days ago
Mommy is a terf, had a January 6 rioter as a client, and is well known in their hometown as a Karen. Oh, and she has debts from not paying taxes. Why was daughter in that class, if she doesn't think gender studies can teach her anything because god told her already? No chance this wasn't a planned hit on the teacher. And the dumb university helped them, but who knows, Turning Point might have helped with a big cheque. That's USA today: dumb grifter barbies can get people fired. On the other hand - thanks for all the great US scientists that are going to leave that shithole to find work at proper universities. We in Europe will appreciate them and treat them better.
kansasmagic 3 days ago
Sigh....You all realize that this wasn't a "research paper", right? You can find and read the prompt online. It was a "reaction paper", which literally asked students for their *reaction* to another paper. The instructions did not specify that "scientific" citations or "empirical evidence" were required. All of this could have been avoided with a better written prompt. If you don't want students to share their opinions (however agreeable or odious), then don't ask for them.
David Thompson 3 days ago (edited)
If I were an attorney, I would take this case 100%. Getting fired for doing your job is an attack on our education. She 100% deserved an F on her paper. She wrote like a 12-year-old trying to explain why she shouldn't get detention for being a bully to her classmates.
Dragon Ashes 3 days ago
Oklahoma Christian University is right there. Why is she not going there?
nm 4 days ago
The student should use Biology but no. She used as scientific argument what has been written by some half-witted, half-literate goat fackers somewhere in ancient Judea.
FreeTheUnicorn 4 days ago
Biology isn't going to support her position. Even if gender and s*x were the same, biology only confirms that genitalia and gendered behaviour aren't a 1 to 1 correlation, and genitalia themselves have more common expressions, but aren't binary But for a psychology paper biology is in the discussion, but it isn't something that could prove or disprove a point. That's why it's a different science
Load More Replies...
Jerry Petronus 3 days ago
If your teacher is a mentally ill trans gender person, which is likely why they are an educator, than you can't take any other position other than supporting the mentally ill by acknowledging they might be right in thinking they are the wrong gender. Why can't people just be straight, gay,. or bi, and need to change their gender? If you were born with both organs, it makes sense to make a choice, because you identify in a certain way. I fully support that. But, recently a friend's daughter who was dating a man, transitioned to become a man, then became pregnant and is now I guess gay? He has all the female organs still, and just had a kid. I can't even fathom this, and shouldn't need to in the first place. Seriously, what the hell is going on? I can't even follow this stuff. Mentally ill is the only conclusion. This is where we are at. Good job society. This is now normal and people can't get help because it isn't considered bats&*# crazy.
Dragon Ashes 3 days ago
Just because you can't understand something, doesn't mean others can't.
Load More Replies... 
Michael Airheart 3 days ago
My question is, why are mentally ill people being allowed around children, much less being allowed to teach children?
Trashy Panda 4 days ago (edited)
They shouldn't fail for quoting the Bible. They should fail for demonstrating no critical thinking skills.
kansasmagic 2 days ago
Sure, if "demonstrating critical thinking skills" is in the grading criteria. The rubric provided had three criteria: 1) a "clear link" to the source article, 2) a "reaction/response" to original article (specifically not a summary), and 3) clear writing. That and 650 word count is it. You might assume that students 'should' demonstrate critical thinking, but the grading criteria provided are pretty minimal and vague, and make no mention of "critical thinking". The instructor would have had a stronger case that the student violated some campus norms based on her offensive language, but grading is not the appropriate avenue for addressing that. You grade based on the criteria you provide, and nothing more.
Load More Replies...
Binky Melnik 4 days ago (edited)
Uh-uh. I went around correcting that one like crazy, too, until I found out it’s a made-up rule so now I’m relaxed about it. Whew! “ The OED shows that less has been used of countables since the time of King Alfred the Great -- he used it that way in one of his own translations from Latin -- more than a thousand years ago (in about 888). So essentially less has been used of countables in English for just about as long as there has been a written English language. After about 900 years Robert Baker opined that fewer might be more elegant and proper. Almost every usage writer since Baker has followed Baker's lead, and generations of English teachers have swelled the chorus. The result seems to be a fairly large number of people who now believe less used of countables to be wrong, though its standardness is easily demonstrated.”
Load More Replies... FreeTheUnicorn 4 days ago
You can't cite religious beliefs in a college paper without backing it up with relevance - you can use it to show general trends or common arguments but you can't cite God You could just as easily cite texts or traditions from a culture that traditionally recognises a third gender the paper failed because it isn't college level writing, not because the student's faith is wrong this isn't an attack on faith this is just someone who isn't smart enough to make a bachelor level argument for their own position.
arthbach 4 days ago
I was quite horrified that the student thought her essay was at a university level grade. Psychology is one of the social sciences, and a scientific approach is required. Reciting religious rhetoric is most definitely not sufficient to pass a psychology course. - - - Both tutors have given excellent feedback, and if she had heeded their words she would have been able to turn in a passing assignment.
Load More Replies... Nova Rook 4 days ago (edited)
If she can just write that it is all about god for this essay then she can just keep doing it for every essay. Engineering? God made the rules? Sociology? We are as god made us. Pretty girl will get a lot of money though - bigotry while posing as a victim pays well.
Thanos'Fingers 4 days ago
And then she'll turn into her mom, become miserable, and raise another gaggle of kids to be horrible human beings along with a man she likely despises as much as herself. Good luck Fullneckys.
Load More Replies... Nikki Sevven 4 days ago
Citing a religious text as proof of topic is grounds for failing the essay.
TruthoftheHeart 4 days ago (edited)
And that student should very much get a failed grade for citing religion as reason for anything on a paper. Unless its a paper on religion then your religion needs to stay out of school in every aspect. And especially if it's something that's going to go towards that person's career. Just look what happens when we let doctors decide their religion plays a role in who they treat and how they treat..
and_a_touch_of_the_’tism 3 days ago
As near as I can tell from this clickbaity article, she got an F because she didn’t do the assignment as instructed, not because of her beliefs. Also, suing over one F? Really? Remind who the snowflakes are?
LakotaWolf (she/her) 3 days ago
She failed the assignment because she used the Bible as a factual source. The Bible is not a factual source. It is a fiction novel.
Load More Replies... Michael Largey 4 days ago
If the assignment I gave you was to prove the Pythagorean Theorem, and you turn in the Apostle's Creed instead, I'm not persecuting your religion for giving you an F.
Multa Nocte 4 days ago
I'd have failed her as well. Empirical evidence was required, wasn't provided, case closed. A bigoted little troll then caused problems because she didn't get her bigoted religious way in a public - not religious - university. If you can't play with the big kids and follow big kid instructions, stay out of university. But Oklahoma is all kinds of fucked up right now. I used to live there.
Tamra 3 days ago
I used to live there, too. Born and raised. Educationally and socially, they are still very much a stunted state. One of my happiest days was putting that place in my rearview. There's a reason they're number 50 in education.
Load More Replies... Danielle Buchanan 3 days ago
She did not meet the requirements of the assignment. She made up her own topic and supported her own topic. On top of that, hers was an opinion essay, but the required essay was supposed to be informative.
Becca not Becky 3 days ago
Opinions aside for a second. Based on the information here, she could have referenced the Bible as a source of cultural norms that shaped modern views, and that could have worked ("the Bible says X, so many people today believe X"). Instead, this is just an angsty tirade that neither reflects college level writing skills nor philosophical thought processes. This is not discrimination, it's not knowing how to write an essay. More importantly, I think this girl set it all up to make herself look persecuted.
Roni Stone 4 days ago
As a former TA, I, too, would have failed this essay, at least from the portion we have available to read. Religious texts have not been considered sources of empirical evidence for centuries, at least in western educational systems. Unless it was assigned as an "opinion essay", this essay was a logical fallacy almost in its entirety.
Lucreza Borgia 3 hours ago
But she failed to even cite the bible properly...
Load More Replies... Lee Gilliland 4 days ago
The old testament is a group of folk tales written down in ancient times, and there is little historical proof Jesus actually existed. The Bible is at best unreliable as far as it's facts are concerned. It should be considered fiction, and therefore has no place in science.
Emilu 3 days ago (edited)
She didn't get marked down because of discrimination; she got marked down because she was objectively incorrect. Not only is the concept of 'God' a concept only to certain religions, the Bible wasn't written by God. It may as well be (and many may say that it is) fiction. Just because you and your family may be religious, that doesn't mean that everyone is -- or that it constitutes critical thinking at university level. In fact, it shows the opposite -- that you have no idea what critical thinking is because you're too wrapped up in your "God is good!" notions.
Christopher Denney 4 days ago
Religious fanatics, of the christian persuasion, have been complaining forever about any resistance to their forcing Christianity on everyone around them as "persecution" or discrimination. They think their bible compels them to force everyone else to become christian, and any attempt to stop them is wrong.
Dragon Ashes 3 days ago
If I had written something like that in college I would have been failed and I went to a Christian college.
Anne Edwards 3 days ago
It would only be fair if every other essay was reviewed to determine whether their writing with passing grades was better, worse or similar to the failing grade one.
Bridgette Nutter 1 day ago
She could have written an essay that made her point in a way that deserved a higher grade. There are actual sources and scientific journals that support her opinion too. She choose to rant and quote the bible and put emotion into her paper instead of taking a mature, well researched and thought out approach. She deserved the F and this is not religious persecution. This almost feels like she wrote the paper she knew would get an F so she could claim that it's persecution. This is from someone who believes gender ideology is harmful. She wrote an F worthy opinion piece and didn't do the topic justice.
Earonn - 2 days ago
Mommy is a terf, had a January 6 rioter as a client, and is well known in their hometown as a Karen. Oh, and she has debts from not paying taxes. Why was daughter in that class, if she doesn't think gender studies can teach her anything because god told her already? No chance this wasn't a planned hit on the teacher. And the dumb university helped them, but who knows, Turning Point might have helped with a big cheque. That's USA today: dumb grifter barbies can get people fired. On the other hand - thanks for all the great US scientists that are going to leave that shithole to find work at proper universities. We in Europe will appreciate them and treat them better.
kansasmagic 3 days ago
Sigh....You all realize that this wasn't a "research paper", right? You can find and read the prompt online. It was a "reaction paper", which literally asked students for their *reaction* to another paper. The instructions did not specify that "scientific" citations or "empirical evidence" were required. All of this could have been avoided with a better written prompt. If you don't want students to share their opinions (however agreeable or odious), then don't ask for them.
David Thompson 3 days ago (edited)
If I were an attorney, I would take this case 100%. Getting fired for doing your job is an attack on our education. She 100% deserved an F on her paper. She wrote like a 12-year-old trying to explain why she shouldn't get detention for being a bully to her classmates.
Dragon Ashes 3 days ago
Oklahoma Christian University is right there. Why is she not going there?
nm 4 days ago
The student should use Biology but no. She used as scientific argument what has been written by some half-witted, half-literate goat fackers somewhere in ancient Judea.
FreeTheUnicorn 4 days ago
Biology isn't going to support her position. Even if gender and s*x were the same, biology only confirms that genitalia and gendered behaviour aren't a 1 to 1 correlation, and genitalia themselves have more common expressions, but aren't binary But for a psychology paper biology is in the discussion, but it isn't something that could prove or disprove a point. That's why it's a different science
Load More Replies... Jerry Petronus 3 days ago
If your teacher is a mentally ill trans gender person, which is likely why they are an educator, than you can't take any other position other than supporting the mentally ill by acknowledging they might be right in thinking they are the wrong gender. Why can't people just be straight, gay,. or bi, and need to change their gender? If you were born with both organs, it makes sense to make a choice, because you identify in a certain way. I fully support that. But, recently a friend's daughter who was dating a man, transitioned to become a man, then became pregnant and is now I guess gay? He has all the female organs still, and just had a kid. I can't even fathom this, and shouldn't need to in the first place. Seriously, what the hell is going on? I can't even follow this stuff. Mentally ill is the only conclusion. This is where we are at. Good job society. This is now normal and people can't get help because it isn't considered bats&*# crazy.
Dragon Ashes 3 days ago
Just because you can't understand something, doesn't mean others can't.
Load More Replies... Michael Airheart 3 days ago
My question is, why are mentally ill people being allowed around children, much less being allowed to teach children?
Trashy Panda 4 days ago (edited)
They shouldn't fail for quoting the Bible. They should fail for demonstrating no critical thinking skills.
kansasmagic 2 days ago
Sure, if "demonstrating critical thinking skills" is in the grading criteria. The rubric provided had three criteria: 1) a "clear link" to the source article, 2) a "reaction/response" to original article (specifically not a summary), and 3) clear writing. That and 650 word count is it. You might assume that students 'should' demonstrate critical thinking, but the grading criteria provided are pretty minimal and vague, and make no mention of "critical thinking". The instructor would have had a stronger case that the student violated some campus norms based on her offensive language, but grading is not the appropriate avenue for addressing that. You grade based on the criteria you provide, and nothing more.
Load More Replies... Binky Melnik 4 days ago (edited)
Uh-uh. I went around correcting that one like crazy, too, until I found out it’s a made-up rule so now I’m relaxed about it. Whew! “ The OED shows that less has been used of countables since the time of King Alfred the Great -- he used it that way in one of his own translations from Latin -- more than a thousand years ago (in about 888). So essentially less has been used of countables in English for just about as long as there has been a written English language. After about 900 years Robert Baker opined that fewer might be more elegant and proper. Almost every usage writer since Baker has followed Baker's lead, and generations of English teachers have swelled the chorus. The result seems to be a fairly large number of people who now believe less used of countables to be wrong, though its standardness is easily demonstrated.”
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