University of Oklahoma Instructor Placed on Leave After Failing Student Who Called 'Multiple Genders' "Demonic"

An instructor at the University of Oklahoma has been placed on administrative leave after a student filed a formal complaint alleging she received a failing grade for a paper that cited the Bible and described belief in more than two genders as "demonic." The student, 20-year-old Samantha Fulnecky, says the zero she received was for a 650-word assignment in a lifespan development psychology course; the mark represented roughly 3% of her final grade.

The university said in an email the campus is "firmly committed to fairness, respect and protecting every student's right to express sincerely held religious beliefs." It added that the failing mark will not affect Fulnecky's academic standing while an internal investigation into the discrimination complaint is ongoing.

The assignment asked students to write a response to an academic study that analyzed whether conformity with gender norms influenced popularity or bullying among middle-school students. According to a copy of the submission shared with university officials, Fulnecky wrote that, based on her reading of the Bible, she does not accept the notion of more than two genders. In the essay she wrote, "Society pushing the lie that there are multiple genders and everyone should be whatever they want to be is demonic and severely harms American youth," and argued such beliefs moved people "farther from God's original plan for humans."

Responses were graded on a 25-point scale evaluating comprehension of the study and attention to a specific element of its argument; Fulnecky's paper received zero points. In written feedback, the instructor said the grade was not a penalty for particular beliefs but said the paper "did not answer the questions for the assignment," relied heavily on personal ideology rather than empirical evidence, "contradicts itself," and was "at times offensive." The instructor's name has not been confirmed by the university.

The complaint drew swift attention after the University of Oklahoma chapter of Turning Point USA — the conservative campus organization founded by Charlie Kirk — posted about the dispute on the social platform X. The chapter said the incident illustrated why conservative students sometimes feel they cannot express their views in class. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt also weighed in on X, calling the situation "deeply concerning" and urging the university regents to review the investigation's findings.

Observers and campus stakeholders say the incident highlights ongoing tensions over academic freedom, classroom speech and campus diversity initiatives. The episode comes amid broader national debates over how colleges address gender, sexuality and diversity policies; supporters on both sides contend the issues raise important questions about free speech and academic standards.

What happens next: The university has opened an investigation into the discrimination complaint. Officials have said the temporary leave of the instructor and the adjustment to the student's standing are interim measures until that process concludes.