University of Oklahoma Rocked by Claims of Anti-Christian Bias in the Classroom [WATCH]

The University of Oklahoma is facing renewed scrutiny over academic fairness after multiple instructors were removed from classrooms in connection with a dispute involving a Christian student who received a zero on an essay and a later allegation of viewpoint discrimination tied to a campus protest.

Last week, the university confirmed that teaching assistant William “Mel” Curth, who uses she/they pronouns, had been removed from the classroom following the grading of an assignment submitted by student Samantha Fulnecky.

🚨 NEW: A student-athlete at the University of Oklahoma reveals she was FLUNKED in her psychology class for falling back on her personal Christian beliefs in a essay about societal gender norms.

The kicker: the professor, Mel Curth, is transgender.

Curth asked students to… pic.twitter.com/21JaKvItpy

— David Medina 🦫🇺🇸 (@davidmedinapdx) December 3, 2025

Fulnecky received a zero after responding to an essay prompt by citing her Christian beliefs and referencing the Bible.

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The situation expanded after an assistant teaching professor was accused of showing preferential treatment to students who supported Curth’s reinstatement.

The university acknowledged that a professor, whom it did not initially name, offered excused absences to students who wished to participate in a protest supporting Curth’s return to the classroom.

Turning Point’s chapter president, Kalib Magana, sought an excused absence to attend a counter-protest.

According to Turning Point’s social media posts, the professor was identified as Kelli Alvarez.

🚨More Chaos at OU!

Another trans activist faculty at OU misbehaving. English Comp prof Kelli Alvarez (female “she/they”) under Title IX probe for offering attendance credit ONLY to students joining today’s noon protest for trans GA William “Mel” Curth (male she/they, on leave…

— Shane David Jett (@shanejett) December 5, 2025

Magana later told the student newspaper OU Daily that Alvarez was his English Composition II instructor.

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

Turning Point reported that Alvarez denied Magana’s request unless he could organize a full “documented group [of counter-protesters].”

“Kalib should not be marked absent for showing up as a counter-protester while those in favor are excused. That is discriminatory,” Turning Point posted on X.

The group added that Alvarez’s condition forced Magana to rely on others agreeing with his viewpoint before he could receive the same treatment as those supporting Curth.

“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 post said.

In Wednesday’s class, Professor Kelli Alvarez urged students to skip class to support a campus protest—promising excused absences for those attending. The “Sources not sermons” protest taking place Friday called for the TA who failed Samantha to be reinstated, and for the… pic.twitter.com/uX4oYuFffM

— TPUSA_OU (@TurningPointOU) December 6, 2025

The university addressed the allegation in a statement.

“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 statement said.

Wow — a second University of Oklahoma instructor has been removed for alleged viewpoint discrimination.

She offered excused absences to students who attended a protest supporting the first instructor who was placed on leave but not to those who wanted to counterprotest. pic.twitter.com/lV2knOZfgT

— Steve McGuire (@sfmcguire79) December 6, 2025

A school director responded to the incident immediately.

The director informed students both in class and by email that the lecturer’s actions were “inappropriate and wrong,” explaining that the purpose of the classroom is to teach students “how to think, not what to think.”

The director also stated that any student, regardless of viewpoint, would be excused from class to attend the protest without penalty.

The university confirmed that the lecturer had been replaced for the remainder of the semester and placed on administrative leave pending further investigation.

The university’s statement added, “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.”

Statement from the University of Oklahoma: pic.twitter.com/pUPf8FsQlB

— University of Oklahoma (@UofOklahoma) December 6, 2025

The institution declined to comment further. Alvarez did not respond to requests for comment.

The initial controversy stemmed from Curth’s grading decision in late November.

The assignment required students to review a scholarly paper on gender norms among middle school students and write a response.

Fulnecky wrote in support of traditional gender norms, citing the Bible and expressing her belief that gender is created by God.

Her essay stated, “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.”

Curth assigned a zero out of 25, stating that the paper lacked empirical evidence, although the rubric did not require it.

The rubric listed three criteria: a clear tie-in to the assigned article, a thoughtful reaction rather than a summary, and clear writing.

Curth wrote, “Please note that I am not deducting points because you have certain beliefs, but instead I am deducting point 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 added, “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.”

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

“I was asked to read an article and give my opinion on the article,” she said.

She explained that her response was consistent with her religious beliefs and that she did not expect the reaction she received.

“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.

Curth remains on administrative leave as the university continues its review.