The University of Oklahoma removed and later fired a graduate teaching assistant after an investigation concluded she graded a student’s psychology assignment arbitrarily, giving a zero to a paper that cited the Bible and argued against multiple gender identities. The university said the assignment would not count and placed the instructor on leave; the instructor’s attorney denies wrongdoing and is considering legal action. The episode quickly became a political flashpoint, drawing commentary from state leaders and conservative organizations and feeding broader national debates about academic freedom, classroom speech and state limits on DEI programming. Oklahoma has recently restricted DEI funding at public institutions, adding political pressure to campus personnel decisions. What happened: OU fired a teaching assistant after an appeal and internal investigation found arbitrary grading; the instructor denies misconduct. Who’s involved: University of Oklahoma, graduate instructor Mel Curth, student Samantha Fulnecky, Gov. Kevin Stitt. Sources: University statement and Associated Press coverage.