A graduate teaching assistant who gave a college student a failing grade on a psychology essay will no longer be teaching at the university. The decision came after Samantha Fulnecky, a junior at the University of Oklahoma, made national headlines after filing a claim of religious discrimination when she received a zero on an essay, in which she referenced the Bible. The university said that the claim for discrimination has been investigated, but OU does not release findings for investigations like these.The school released a statement Monday, saying the graduate instructor’s prior grading standards and patterns, as well as the graduate teaching assistant’s own statements relating to the matter, were “arbitrary” in grading Fulnecky’s essay. “The graduate teaching assistant will no longer have instructional duties at the University,” according to the statement from OU. >> Video Below: Student who claimed religious discrimination over essay grade speaks out Fulnecky referenced the Bible throughout a 650-word assignment, asking her to react to an article on gender roles for a psychology class. The graduate teaching instructor gave Fulnecky a zero on the assignment, saying she did not follow the guidelines. The instructor also called the article “at times offensive.” A second instructor for the course agreed with the grade, saying the assignment was not followed.Fulnecky appealed her grade, and the assignment was removed from her final grade. No academic harm was done to the student due to the grade, according to the university. The school said it has been engaged in detailed conversations with the Faculty Senate Executive Committee to ensure there is an understanding of the facts and actions being taken. A full breakdown of the situation can be read here.
A graduate teaching assistant who gave a college student a failing grade on a psychology essay will no longer be teaching at the university.
The decision came after Samantha Fulnecky, a junior at the University of Oklahoma, made national headlines after filing a claim of religious discrimination when she received a zero on an essay, in which she referenced the Bible. The university said that the claim for discrimination has been investigated, but OU does not release findings for investigations like these.
The school released a statement Monday, saying the graduate instructor’s prior grading standards and patterns, as well as the graduate teaching assistant’s own statements relating to the matter, were “arbitrary” in grading Fulnecky’s essay.
“The graduate teaching assistant will no longer have instructional duties at the University,” according to the statement from OU.
>> Video Below: Student who claimed religious discrimination over essay grade speaks out
Fulnecky referenced the Bible throughout a 650-word assignment, asking her to react to an article on gender roles for a psychology class. The graduate teaching instructor gave Fulnecky a zero on the assignment, saying she did not follow the guidelines. The instructor also called the article “at times offensive.”
A second instructor for the course agreed with the grade, saying the assignment was not followed.
Fulnecky appealed her grade, and the assignment was removed from her final grade. No academic harm was done to the student due to the grade, according to the university.
The school said it has been engaged in detailed conversations with the Faculty Senate Executive Committee to ensure there is an understanding of the facts and actions being taken.
A full breakdown of the situation can be read here.
