A university student claims she received a failing grade for citing the Bible in a psychology essay, sparking a debate about academic freedom and religious expression. The university has launched an investigation into the incident,...



A University of Oklahoma student is speaking out after receiving a failing grade, she says came simply because she cited the Bible in an assignment.

Samantha Fulnecky was assigned a 650-word essay for her psychology class, asking her to react to an article about how individuals are perceived based on societal expectations of gender, The Oklahoman newspaper reported.

Fulnecky cited Scripture in her essay, asserting that gender roles are not “stereotypes” – and that it’s essential that society have clear distinctions between men and women.

“God made male and female and made us differently from each other on purpose and for a purpose,” she wrote. “God is very intentional with what He makes, and I believe trying to change that would only do more harm.”

Society is “pushing a lie” claiming there are multiple genders, Fulnecky asserted, adding that such a concept “is demonic and severely harms American youth.”

The article she was assigned to read said children who don’t identify with their biological sex are often teased.

“I do not want kids to be teased or bullied in school,” she wrote. “However, pushing the lie that everyone has their own truth and everyone can do whatever they want and whoever they want is not biblical whatsoever.”

Fulnecky’s instructor gave her zero out of 25 points on the essay, adding in comments that she did not use empirical evidence.

“To call an entire group of people 'demonic' is highly offensive, especially a minoritized population,” the instructor wrote, according to The Oklahoman.

Fulnecky, though, said the essay’s requirements said nothing about empirical evidence. She asked the instructor to reconsider the grade, but was denied, the newspaper said.

She emailed the governor, university president Joseph Harroz Jr., and the Teacher Freedom Alliance, a group headed by former state superintendent Ryan Walters.

“In this situation, my instructor found it offensive to be quoting from the Bible,” she wrote. “I don't believe I should receive a failing grade on an assignment based upon my opinion. I am reaching out to all of you to see if you can help me.”

Fulnecky told The Oklahoman she believes discrimination played a role in her failing grade. She filed a formal complaint with the school.

“To be what I think is clearly discriminated against for my beliefs and using freedom of speech, and especially for my religious beliefs, I think that's just absurd,” she said.

The university said it is investigating the matter.

“At OU, we value and uphold freedom of expression, including freedom of religion, and it is our ongoing pursuit to teach students how to think, not what to think,” the university told the newspaper in a statement.

The Oklahoman reported that the instructions accompanying the assignment said the grade would be based on three questions: “Does the paper show a clear tie-in to the assigned article? Does the paper present a thoughtful reaction or response to the article, rather than a summary? Is the paper clearly written?”

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