A professor at the University of Oklahoma finds themselves in hot water over a controversial grading decision involving a student’s essay that referenced Christian beliefs. This incident has sparked a broader debate on academic freedom and discrimination.

The controversy began when teaching assistant William “Mel” Curth, who prefers the pronouns she/they, failed student Samantha Fulnecky for an essay that prominently featured her Christian faith and biblical references. This decision led to Curth’s removal from teaching duties, as confirmed by the university last week.

The situation took another turn when allegations arose against an assistant teaching professor for allegedly supporting viewpoint discrimination. This stemmed from a protest organized to support Curth’s reinstatement in the classroom. The university responded by issuing a statement on social media, revealing that a professor, whose identity was not disclosed, had offered students excused absences to participate in the pro-Curth protest.

In a related development, Kalib Magana, president of the university’s Turning Point chapter, requested an excused absence to attend a counter-protest. According to the organization’s social media posts, which named the professor as Kelli Alvarez, Magana later identified Alvarez as his English Composition II instructor during an interview with the student newspaper, OU Daily.

The incident involving Samantha Fulnecky and her essay, which was marked with a zero grade after she referenced her Christian faith, has not only put the university’s policies under scrutiny but also highlighted the tensions between personal beliefs and academic evaluation. (Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

Turning Point’s chapter president, Kalib Magana, reportedly asked for an excused absence to participate in a counter-protest of the same event, according to the group’s social media, which identified the professor as Kelli Alvarez. In a later interview with student newspaper OU Daily, Magana reportedly identified Alvarez as his English Composition II instructor.

Republican State Sen. Shane David Jett also said that Alvarez was responsible for the alleged discrimination. 

But Alvarez denied Magana’s request unless a “documented group [of counter-protesters] could be organized,” Turning Point said on X.

“Kalib should not be marked absent for showing up as a counter-protester while those in favor are excused. That is discriminatory,” the Turning Point post said. “The professor expected Kalib to organize an entire counter-protest with people confirming they would attend, instead of allowing him to show up on his own like everyone else. His freedom of speech and his ability to receive an excused absence were made dependent on others agreeing to participate in his counter-protest and share his beliefs. This is incredibly anti-free speech and discriminatory toward an opposing viewpoint.”

The school responded to the allegation.

“On Wednesday, a lecturer allegedly demonstrated viewpoint discrimination by excusing students who intended to miss class to attend a protest on campus, but not extending the same benefit to students who intended to miss class to express a counter-viewpoint,” the University of Oklahoma said in a statement posted on social media.

A school director immediately responded to the situation and “told students in class today and by email that the lecturer’s actions were inappropriate and wrong, and that the university classroom exists to teach students how to think, not what to think.”

Students walk on campus between classes at the University of Oklahoma on March 11, 2015, in Norman, Oklahoma. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)

“The Director further stated that any student, regardless of viewpoint, would be excused if absent from class today to attend the protest without penalty, and that the lecturer had been replaced, effective immediately, for the remainder of the semester,” the school said, adding that it unequivocally supports the director’s decision to remove the professor.

The professor was also placed on administrative leave, pending further investigation.

“Classroom instructors have a special obligation to ensure that the classroom is never used to grant preferential treatment based on personal political beliefs, nor to pressure students to adopt particular political or ideological views,” the school’s statement finished.

The University of Oklahoma declined to comment further. Alvarez did not respond to a request for comment. 

In late November, Curth assessed Fulnecky, a junior at the school, a zero grade on an essay. The assignment was to read a scholarly paper that summarized a study regarding gender norms among middle schoolers, and write a response.

Fulnecky responded in support of gender norms, citing the Bible. She said that God made men and women and that gender norms should not be considered “stereotypes.”

“Society [is] pushing the lie that there are multiple genders and everyone should be whatever they want to be is demonic and severely harms American youth,” the essay said. “I do not want kids to be teased or bullied in school. However, pushing the lie that everyone has their own truth and everyone can do whatever they want and be whoever they want is not biblical whatsoever.”

OU student Samantha Fulnecky in the Oklahoma Memorial Union, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (Doug Hoke/The Oklahoman/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

Curth took offense to Fulnecky’s essay, and gave her a zero out of 25.

The teaching assistant said the essay lacked empirical evidence, which was not a requirement in the grading rubric, which cited three criteria for grading.

“Does the paper show a clear tie-in to the assigned article?” was the first criterion, 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?” is the last criterion, worth up to five points.

“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 response said.

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)

“You may personally disagree with this, but that doesn’t change the fact that every major psychological, medical, pediatric, and psychiatric association in the United States acknowledges that, biologically and psychologically, sex and gender is neither binary nor fixed,” Curth continued.

Fulnecky told Fox News Digital she believed the grade was punitive.

“I was asked to read an article and give my opinion on the article, and the article was about gender binary and mental health and gender stereotypes, specifically in children, because it’s a lifespan development class,” Fulnecky, who was shocked by the zero grade, told Fox News Digital. “So I was asked to give my opinion and my reaction to the paper.”

“So I did this assignment the same as I would any other in that class, gave my opinion on gender binary and gender stereotypes and that, naturally my views are from the Bible and my Christian kind of worldview,” she said. “And so that’s what I wrote about and I didn’t think anything of it.” 

Curth is currently on administrative leave.