Oklahoma lawmakers proposed bills in March that would mandate free speech training at state universities after OU student Samantha Fulnecky publicly contested a failing grade on a Bible-based essay.
OU Graduate Student Senate members say the proposed bills, one of which is directed at graduate teaching instructors specifically, would negatively impact free speech in higher education.
On March 25, the state Senate advanced Senate Bill 1726, which would direct state institutions of higher education to develop and maintain a free speech training program for graduate teaching instructors.
“The training shall emphasize that students shall not be penalized or disadvantaged in grading, participation, or evaluation on the basis of lawful expression,” the bill states.
The bill passed 41-7 and moved to the House for consideration.
In a March 30 email to the Daily, Caroline Lancaster, OU Graduate Student Senate External and Legislative Affairs committee chair, wrote SB 1726 limits the quality of instruction and learning for both the graduate teaching instructors and undergraduate students.
“As a teaching assistant, all you want to do is make sure the undergraduates understand and actually learn what you’re teaching. We’re all passionate about our fields. The Fulnecky incident has impacted almost everyone in every department, from biology to political science. Being a graduate teacher is chilling. Instructors are constantly becoming more cautious about their lesson plans, the materials they assign, and the points they take off,” Lancaster wrote.
Fulnecky reportedly received zero out of 25 points for the Bible-based essay and filed an illegal discrimination claim. Mel Curth, the course’s graduate teaching instructor, was placed on leave later that month.
In an April 3 email to the Daily, Curth wrote she is concerned the bill will be used to justify infringement upon the First Amendment rights of instructors to grade as they see fit.
“While this bill seems common sense and just on the surface, it is merely a weapon to censor academics and intimidate universities to lower their standards of academic rigor to appease those who would game the system to affirm their preconceived notions rather than engage in learning new material,” Curth wrote.
Graduate Student Senate chair Summer Edwards wrote in a March 31 email that the energy in classrooms has shifted since the essay controversy and the proposed bills.
“Graduate students no longer have respect from students in the classroom; we are insidiously watched and criticized by faculty, students, and the state. As you can imagine, this is extremely discouraging to continue academic careers and limits the quality of instruction graduate students can provide,” Edwards wrote.
According to Edwards, many state legislators and representatives who have no firsthand teaching experience write bills regarding classrooms.
“If training must happen regarding free speech, then there is no longer a freedom of speech: rather, freedom of ‘University-approved’ speech,” Edwards wrote.
Sam Jensen, GSS Ways and Means committee chair, wrote in a March 30 email that the training the bill proposes would prevent students from being exposed to new ideas.
“Critical thinking does not mean that we have to agree with everything, but it does mean that we have to listen and consider a variety of viewpoints,” Jensen wrote. “This can be uncomfortable at times, but it is what allows us to grow and to address the problems that we face as a society. If passed, Oklahoma SB 1726 would prevent students from being exposed to new ideas, and thus from being able to develop critical thinking skills. Instead, it would force a single viewpoint onto everyone.”
Sen. Julie Daniels (R-Bartlesville), who authored the bill, wrote in an email to OU Daily Thursday that she worked with the provosts at OU and Oklahoma State University and the office of the Chancellor for Higher Education to draft the bill.
“They suggested the list of topics covering the academic component of the legislation. I suggested the language covering the freedom of expression component of the bill. The provosts are already familiar with and have access to training programs that will accomplish our goals. They may also consult with the Oklahoma Free Speech Committee at Higher Ed, which I helped put in place in previous legislation,” Daniels wrote.
Rep. Chad Caldwell (R-Enid), a member of the Oklahoma Free Speech Committee, who co-authored the bill, wrote in an email to the Daily Wednesday that SB 1726 would set broad requirements for the trainings, but each institution would design its own training program.
“Trainings would cover effective teaching practices, classroom management, grading standards, student accommodations, academic integrity, and First Amendment principles such as free speech and viewpoint neutrality,” Caldwell wrote.
Also passed by the Senate and moved to the House is Senate Bill 1725 which seeks to ensure campuses remain places for open debate where students can share their ideas without the fear of censorship, according to a Senate press release.
SB 1725, authored by Sen. Ally Seifried (R-Claremore), directs the Oklahoma Free Speech Committee to develop free-speech training for all first-year students.
“Colleges should strive to create an environment where students are encouraged to ask questions, participate in respectful debate and form their own opinions. Senate Bill 1725 protects free speech on campuses by ensuring students aren’t punished for simply expressing different opinions,” Seifried wrote in the press release.
According to Caldwell, SB 1725 builds on the Oklahoma Free Speech Committee.
The committee was formed in 2022 and required that deans, department heads and those responsible for university free speech policies undergo training. The committee is based on House Bill 3543, which Caldwell authored.
“This legislation broadens those (committee) requirements to include students and graduate teaching instructors. Currently, there are no proposals to mandate training for all faculty and staff, although institutions may choose to offer additional training at their discretion,” Caldwell said.
In an email to the Daily, OU Marketing and Communications wrote the university does not generally comment on pending legislation.
OU Daily reached out to Fulnecky, Senior Vice President and Provost André-Denis Wright, and OU Turning Point USA, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
This story was edited by Macey Thaxton and Audrey McClour. Chelsea Low and Gretchen Schultz copy edited this story.
