Key Takeaways
- The University of Oklahoma has removed an instructor accused of religious discrimination over a failing grade on a psychology paper.
- The student, Samantha Fulnecky, argued that promoting a "belief in multiple genders" was "demonic" and cited the Bible in her paper.
- The university found the instructor, Mel Curth, to be "arbitrary" in giving Fulnecky zero points on the assignment.
- The incident has sparked a debate over academic freedom on college campuses and the limits of free speech.
- The university has stated its commitment to teaching students how to think, not what to think, and to protecting academic freedom.
Introduction to the Incident
The University of Oklahoma has removed an instructor who was accused by a student of religious discrimination over a failing grade on a psychology paper. The student, Samantha Fulnecky, had written a paper in which she cited the Bible and argued that promoting a "belief in multiple genders" was "demonic." The instructor, Mel Curth, gave Fulnecky zero points on the assignment, which was worth 3% of the final grade in the class. The university’s investigation found that Curth had been "arbitrary" in giving Fulnecky the failing grade, and she will no longer have instructional duties.
The University’s Response
The university has stated its commitment to protecting academic freedom and ensuring that students receive an education that is free from a lecturer’s impermissible evaluative standards. In a statement, the university said, "The University of Oklahoma believes strongly in both its faculty’s rights to teach with academic freedom and integrity and its students’ right to receive an education that is free from a lecturer’s impermissible evaluative standards." The university also emphasized its commitment to teaching students how to think, not what to think. The incident has sparked a debate over academic freedom on college campuses, with some arguing that the university’s response is an attack on free speech and others arguing that it is necessary to protect students from discriminatory behavior.
The Instructor’s Response
Through her attorney, Mel Curth has denied that she engaged in any arbitrary behavior regarding Fulnecky’s work. Curth’s attorney, Brittany Stewart, said in a statement that Curth is "considering all of her legal remedies." The attorney’s statement suggests that Curth may take legal action against the university over its decision to remove her from her instructional duties. The incident has also sparked a wider debate over the limits of free speech on college campuses, with some arguing that instructors should be able to express their opinions without fear of reprisal and others arguing that students have the right to be protected from discriminatory behavior.
The Wider Debate
The incident has become a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over academic freedom on college campuses. Conservative groups and commentators have made Fulnecky’s failing grade an online cause, highlighting her argument that she was punished for expressing conservative Christian views. The incident has also sparked a debate over the role of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives on college campuses. Oklahoma’s Republican governor, Kevin Stitt, has signed a law prohibiting state universities from using public funds to finance DEI programs or positions or mandating DEI training. However, the law says it does not apply to scholarly research or "the academic freedom of any individual faculty member."
The Assignment and the Grade
The incident began when Fulnecky was assigned to write a 650-word response to an academic study that examined whether conformity with gender norms was associated with popularity or bullying among middle school students. Fulnecky wrote that she was frustrated by the premise of the assignment because she does not believe that there are more than two genders based on her understanding of the Bible. In her paper, she argued that promoting a "belief in multiple genders" was "demonic" and would lead society "farther from God’s original plan for humans." Curth gave Fulnecky zero points on the assignment, stating that the paper did not answer the questions for the assignment, contradicted itself, relied on "personal ideology" over evidence, and was "at times offensive."
The University’s Commitment to Academic Freedom
The University of Oklahoma has emphasized its commitment to academic freedom and its desire to protect students from discriminatory behavior. The university’s statement said, "We are committed to teaching students how to think, not what to think." The incident has sparked a debate over the limits of free speech on college campuses, with some arguing that the university’s response is an attack on academic freedom and others arguing that it is necessary to protect students from discriminatory behavior. The university’s commitment to academic freedom is an important aspect of its mission, and the incident highlights the challenges of balancing the need to protect students with the need to protect academic freedom.