The OU chapter of the American Association of University Professors called in a Monday press release for the university to publicly disclose all facts regarding the administrative leave of the graduate instructor who gave a failing grade to a Bible-based essay.
The graduate instructor was placed on administrative leave Nov. 30 after psychology junior Samantha Fulnecky publicly claimed discrimination after receiving zero out of 25 points for a Bible-based essay in a psychology course.
The press release claims the university’s public statement gave no defense to the instructor’s academic freedom and called for full disclosure of all criteria, including syllabus, grading rubric and verbal or written requirements and expectations, relating to the grading of the essay.
“The educational credibility of OU is called into question when media coverage and external threats lead OU to appear to capitulate in a grading dispute, with the appearance that the standard appeal process is not being followed,” the release reads.
Sen. Mary Boren (D-Norman) stated in a Monday Facebook post the importance of academic freedom and the university’s role in holding those values.
“I stand with those calling for openness, fairness, and a strong defense of academic freedom,” Boren wrote. “OU must lead with integrity and ensure that no educator is left vulnerable for simply doing their job. OU must also Insist that students with deeply held religious beliefs learn how to meet academic standards on their own merits without political interference.”
OU-AAUP’s release states that the university has not publicly stated that it defends professors, including transgender professors, from harassment, discrimination and reported death threats.
The release claims that many graduate students and faculty believe that the university is not holding true to its stated values, prompting them to demand a public statement from OU.
On Friday, a group of around 250 protesters gathered outside Evans Hall in support of the graduate instructor, demanding the instructor be reinstated.
Protesters held homemade signs reading “Diversity makes us stronger,” “Grading isn’t discrimination, it’s accountability,” and “Reinstate her now,” among others.
“The OU statement, which implies the punishment of the (graduate instructor), … fuels a politicized narrative with questionable claims regarding how the instructor responded to the expression of religious beliefs, while also jeopardizing academic rigor and the pursuit of knowledge,” OU-AAUP’s release reads.
OU-AAUP wrote in the release that it stands with the OU Graduate Student Senate’s demand that the university provide more transparency regarding the administrative leave and additional protection for graduate teaching assistants.
“It appears that OU wishes to placate those with the loudest media voices, with little regard for the implications for graduate students, faculty, departments, and the academic integrity of OU,” the release reads. “This may be OU’s strategy of mitigating risk, but it puts the people who make OU function–faculty and graduate students–increasingly at real risk.”
Background
Fulnecky contested a failed grade on an essay assignment in the OU psychology course Lifespan Development, stating she believed she received the grade because of her religious beliefs. The Daily confirmed the course name via OU’s course catalog.
The instructions of the assignment were to write a 650-word essay in response to an assigned article on gender roles and identity. The essay would be graded based on thoughtfulness, relevance and clarity, according to the rubric released by The Oklahoman.
The instructor wrote in a Canvas comment that the paper failed to meet the assignment's criteria and that the paper was contradictory to itself.
According to the instructor's Canvas comment, the deducted points were for “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.”
In the essay, which was published by The Oklahoman, Fulnecky references the Bible to argue that traditional gender roles should not be considered stereotypes. She wrote that eliminating gender would put people “farther from God’s original plan for humans.”
In response to Fulnecky’s allegation of discrimination, the university wrote in a statement that university leaders contacted Fulnecky the day she submitted her complaint and a formal grade appeals process was conducted. Steps were taken to ensure there was no academic harm to the student, the statement reads.
OU replaced the graduate student instructor with a full-time professor to teach the class for the remainder of the semester after Fulnecky reported filing a claim of illegal discrimination based on religious beliefs.
Fulnecky’s appeal has drawn state and national attention, with Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt posting on the social platform X that the situation is “deeply concerning” and calling on the OU Board of Regents to review the results of the investigation. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis referred to the situation as an example of “intellectual rot in higher education” in a post on X.
During a meeting hosted by the Original Constitutional Principles Affecting Culture Foundation Wednesday, former State Superintendent Ryan Walters demanded university action for Fulnecky, stating that OU should lose taxpayer funding if action is not taken and that those involved in failing the essay should be fired.
This story was edited by Natalie Armour, Ana Barboza and Thomas Pablo. Larkin Bock and Mary Ann Livingood copy edited this story.
