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The University of Oklahoma has fired an instructor who was accused by a student of religious discrimination. a failing grade On a psychology paper in which he cited the Bible and argued that promoting “belief in multiple genders” was “demonic”.
the university said a statement X posted on Monday that its investigation found that a graduate teaching assistant had been “arbitrary” in giving 20-year-old junior Samantha Fulnecky a zero mark on an assignment. The university declined to comment beyond its statement, which said the instructor had been removed from teaching.
Through her attorney, the instructor, Mel Kurth, denied Tuesday that she “engaged in any arbitrary behavior regarding student work.” Attorney Brittany Stewart said in a statement emailed to The Associated Press that Kurth is “considering all of her legal remedies.”
Conservative groups, commentators and others immediately made Fulnecki’s failing grades an online cause, highlighting his argument that he was punished for expressing conservative Christian views. His case became an issue in the ongoing debate over academic freedom on college campuses at the insistence of President Donald Trump. End Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiativeand restrict the way it can be discussed on campuses Race, gender and sexuality.
Fulnecki appealed his grade on the assignment, which was 3% of the final grade in the class, and the university said the assignment would not count. It also sent Kurth on leave, and Oklahoma’s conservative Republican governor, Kevin Stitt, declared the situation “deeply concerning.”
“The University of Oklahoma believes strongly in both the rights of its faculty to teach with academic freedom and integrity and the right of its students to receive an education free from the unacceptable evaluative standards of a lecturer,” the university statement said. “We are committed to teaching students how to think, not what to think.”
A law was approved this year The bill, enacted by Oklahoma’s Republican-dominated Legislature and signed by Stitt, prohibits state universities from using public money to fund DEI programs or positions or mandating DEI training. However, the law states that it does not apply to scholarly research or “the academic freedom of any individual faculty member.”
Home telephone listings for Fulnecki in the Springfield, Missouri area were disconnected, and her mother — an attorney, podcaster and radio host — did not immediately respond to a Facebook message seeking comment Tuesday about the university’s action.
Fulnecki’s failing grade came in an assignment for a psychology class on lifespan development. Karth instructed students to write a 650-word response to an academic study that examined whether conforming to gender norms was associated with popularity or bullying among middle school students.
Fulnecki wrote that she was disappointed by the premise of the assignment because based on her understanding of the Bible she does not believe there are more than two genders. a copy of his essay be provided For The Oklahoman,
She wrote, “Society’s promotion of the lie that there are multiple genders and that everyone should be who they want to be is monstrous and seriously harms American youth.” He further said that this would lead society “away from God’s original plan for humans.”
In feedback received by the newspaper, Kurth said that the newspaper “did not answer the questions for the assignment”, contradicted itself, relied on “personal ideology” rather than evidence and “is sometimes offensive.”
“Please note that I am not deducting points because you have certain beliefs,” Karth wrote.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without any modifications to the text.
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