Higher Education Discipline

A University of Oklahoma graduate teaching assistant, William "Mel" Curth, has filed an appeal challenging the university Institutional Equity Office’s finding that Curth engaged in arbitrary and capricious grading and violated a Christian student’s religious liberty by giving her a zero on a gender‑norms assignment after she cited the Bible and called non‑binary identities "demonic." Attorney Brittany Stewart said Curth denies any discriminatory behavior, argues the investigation was flawed and failed to consider all possible motives, and claims new evidence undermines the conclusion, as the case continues to draw national attention to campus handling of religious expression in coursework.