Southwest
University of Oklahoma teaching assistant fired after flunking Christian student files appeal with school
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A University of Oklahoma graduate teaching assistant who was fired after flunking a Christian student who cited the Bible in an essay, causing a national uproar, is appealing the school’s decision.
Brittany Stewart, a self-employed and self-described civil rights lawyer, said she is representing William “Mel” Curth, who assessed student Samantha Fulnecky a zero out of 25 on an assignment about gender norms.
“Today, my client, Mel Curth, submitted her appeal of the University’s Institutional Equity Office finding that she engaged in arbitrary and capricious grading of a student’s assignment in violation of that student’s religious liberty,” Stewart said on Bluesky earlier this week.
OU student Samantha Fulnecky, with her Bible, in the Oklahoma Memorial Union, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (Doug Hoke/The Oklahoman/Imagn Images)
“Ms. Curth fully denies that she engaged in any discriminatory behavior,” the statement continues. “It is her position that the investigation was flawed, failed to consider all possible motives and issues, and that new evidence has come to light that undermines the investigation’s conclusion.”
CONSERVATIVE PROFESSOR SLAMS 0 GRADE FOR OKLAHOMA STUDENT’S BIBLICAL ESSAY AS PUNITIVE: ‘VERY INAPPROPRIATE’
Stewart did not specify what the new evidence is.
For the assignment, Curth, who uses she/they pronouns, asked students to read a short paper called, “Relations Among Gender Typicality, Peer Relations, and Mental Health During Early Adolescence,” which discusses results of a study about gender norms among middle schoolers and the social ramifications children may face if they don’t conform to gender norms.
The students were instructed to provide a “thoughtful discussion of some aspect of the article.”
Fulnecky, a junior at the school, responded by saying she thought gender norms should not be viewed as stereotypes. She cited Genesis, the first book of the Bible, in which God created men and women equally, but with separate purposes.
UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA REMOVES PROFESSOR FOR ALLEGED DISCRIMINATION RELATED TO TA WHO GAVE CHRISTIAN STUDENT 0
Students walk on campus between classes at the University of Oklahoma on March 11, 2015, in Norman, Oklahoma. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)
“Gender roles and tendencies should not be considered ‘stereotypes,’” Fulnecky wrote in her essay. “Women naturally want to do womanly things because God created us with those womanly desires in our hearts. The same goes for men. God created men in the image of His courage and strength, and He created women in the image of His beauty. He intentionally created women differently than men and we should live our lives with that in mind.”
She later described the normalization of non-binary gender as “demonic.”
Curth took exception to Fulnecky’s response.
“Please note that I am not deducting points because you have certain beliefs, but instead I am deducting point [sic] for you posting a reaction paper that does not answer the questions for this assignment, contradicts itself, heavily uses personal ideology over empirical evidence in a scientific class, and is at times offensive,” Curth’s explanation for the grade said, later adding that the essay was “offensive” and claiming that science backs the idea that “gender is neither binary nor fixed.”
THIS WEEK IN CAMPUS RADICALS: CHRISTIAN STUDENT FLUNKED, JEWISH STUDENTS SHAKEN, CONSERVATIVE GROUPS BLOCKED
There were three grading criteria, according to Fulnecky, who said none of those criteria listed empirical evidence as a requirement.
“Does the paper show a clear tie-in to the assigned article?” was the first, worth up to 10 out of the assignment’s 25 total points.
“Does the paper present a thoughtful reaction or response to the article, rather than a summary?” was the second, also worth up to 10 points.
“Is the paper clearly written?” was the last criterion, worth up to five points.
OU student Samantha Fulnecky, with her Bible, in the Oklahoma Memorial Union, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (Doug Hoke/The Oklahoman/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
OU STUDENT’S ZERO FOR CHRISTIAN-BASED GENDER CRITIQUE TRIGGERS CONGRESSIONAL PUSHBACK OVER ACADEMIC BIAS
Fulnecky filed an official religious discrimination complaint with the school after receiving the zero grade, and Curth was put on administrative leave pending an investigation.
On Dec. 22, the University of Oklahoma released a statement saying Curth had been fired.
“Based on an examination of the graduate teaching assistant’s prior grading standards and patterns, as well as the graduate teaching assistant’s own statements related to this matter, it was determined that the graduate teaching assistant was arbitrary in the grading of this specific paper,” the school said. “The graduate teaching assistant will no longer have instructional duties at the University.”
Stewart said in her statement that Fulnecky had an ulterior political motive for challenging the grade, and slammed the university for making public statements while she said Curth is bound by “confidentiality rules.”
“Rather than engaging in discrimination, Mel Curth has been the target of a political movement that seeks to silence and/or oust LGBTQ people from academia,” Stewart’s statement concludes. “Ms. Curth will continue to fight back against these harmful allegations.”
A University of Oklahoma campus sign is pictured in Norman, Oklahoma, on Dec. 1, 2024. (Kirby Lee/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Fox News Digital reached out to Stewart and the University of Oklahoma for comment.
Read the full article from Here
Loved ones are devastated after a 37-year-old man was attacked by a dog and stabbed to death by several men on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The unprovoked attack happened on May 20 as Berry Henderson, 37, was standing at a bus stop near Hollywood Boulevard and Las Palmas Avenue around 3 p.m.
Surveillance video showed Henderson running into the street as a dog was seen chasing him and aggressively biting him.
Henderson managed to pull out a knife and stabbed the dog to defend himself. That’s when a group of four men, one of whom was the dog’s owner, rushed over to attack Henderson. A suspect who was armed with a machete was seen stabbing and punching Henderson.
-
A group of four men stabbed and punched Barry Henderson after he stabbed the attacking dog in defense on May 20, 2026. (Henderson Family) -
Berry Henderson, 37, tried to escape the area from his attackers who quickly cornered him again on May 20, 2026. (Henderson Family) -
Loved ones held a candelight vigil at the crime scene on the Hollywood Walk Fame to honor Berry Henderson on May 29, 2026. (KTLA) -
Berry Henderson, 37, is seen in a family photo. -
Berry Henderson, 37, is seen in a family photo. -
The victim’s cousin, Demeya Brewer, speaks with KTLA at a candlelight vigil in Hollywood on May 29, 2026. (KTLA) -
Surveillance video showed Berry Henderson, 37, running into the street as a violent dog was seen chasing him and aggressively biting him near Hollywood Boulevard and Las Palmas Avenue in Hollywood on May 20, 2026. (Henderson Family)
The victim’s cousin, Sharon Grimes, said she was stunned that no bystanders acted to help Henderson.
“People around weren’t doing anything,” she said. “I didn’t see anybody try to come to his rescue, with all that blood. Nobody picked up the phone.”
“That’s what makes it so shocking,” said Najee Ali, a community activist. “That someone could actually be stabbed to death, beaten and bit by a dog in broad daylight with no one helping.”
Henderson, who was critically injured, stumbled across the street while trying to escape the attackers, but the men quickly came after him again.
“He was running away,” said Demeya Brewer, the victim’s cousin. “He was down on the ground, running away and they still continued to attack him.”
Henderson, who had suffered multiple stab wounds, died from his injuries at the hospital.
Los Angeles Police Department officers responded to the scene and were able to locate and arrest three suspects. The fourth male suspect managed to escape.
On Friday night, Henderson’s family gathered at the scene for a candlelight vigil to honor Henderson, who was a student at a local trade school. Family members said he was a peaceful man who was loved by his friends and community.
“My cousin was not a threat to anyone,” Brewer said. “This was his area, his neighborhood. Business owners knew him. We need more love and peace.”
Henderson’s family believes there are witnesses who likely know where the fourth suspect is hiding. They’re asking anyone with information on the case to call the LAPD at 213-382-9470.
A man suspected of repeatedly shooting at other vehicles while driving on the 405 Freeway in Los Angeles County was arrested on May 29, according to the California Highway Patrol.
CHP pulled over the suspected shooter, Martin Moreno-Pacheco, in South Los Angeles at about 3:40 a.m. Friday. Prior to his arrest, CHP officers suspected that Moreno-Pacheco was connected to multiple freeway shootings in recent days.
On May 26, a driver reported a car-to-car shooting, which they said happened on the 405 Freeway near Wilmington Avenue on May 23. The victim told investigators that the person responsible for the shooting was driving a black pickup truck.
“The victim reported an unprovoked shooting occurred, resulting in damage to the victim’s vehicle,” CHP said.
On May 28, at about 5:30 a.m., another car-to-car shooting was reported on the 405 Freeway south of Vermont Avenue. The victim told investigators that their car was damaged in a shooting committed by someone in a black pickup.
“Based on the investigation conducted, both incidents, as well as a third incident, which occurred on May 22, 2026, were determined to be committed by the same individual,” CHP said.
Moreno-Pacheco was found and arrested a week later. Upon searching Moreno-Pacheco’s truck, CHP officers found a loaded BB gun inside the truck’s passenger compartment.
No one was injured in the shootings, CHP said. CHP is asking any additional witnesses or victims of the alleged crimes to contact Officer C. Ortega at the CHP South Los Angeles Area office at (424) 551-4000.
Three rescued California sea lion pups were released back into the Pacific Ocean in Manhattan Beach Friday morning after weeks of rehabilitation for malnutrition, dehydration and other health issues. The public release event took place on the north side of the Manhattan Beach Pier and was hosted by the Marine Mammal Care Center, Los Angeles […]
-
Washington, D.C6 minutes agoTexas man indicted in shooting near Washington Monument that left bystander hurt
-
Cleveland, OH9 minutes ago3 Options For the Cavaliers to Replace GM Mike Gansey
-
Austin, TX14 minutes agoOne dead, victim unidentified after APD responds to deceased person call in South Austin
-
Alabama21 minutes agoLive Game, Weather Updates: Tuscaloosa Baseball Regional, No. 7 Alabama vs. USC Upstate
-
Alaska24 minutes agoWayne and Wanda: I’m ready to break up with Alaska but facing resistance from everyone
-
Arizona29 minutes agoWhy Milan Momcilovic Choosing Arizona Would Be Tough Blow for Iowa State Basketball
-
Arkansas36 minutes agoBaseball notebook: Kansas and Arkansas to play in winner’s bracket
-
California39 minutes agoCalifornia governor’s race tightens as primary day approaches
