General Discussion

...it's not clear that this student was simply being stupid.

Some have suggested that this was a deliberate set-up, whether targeted at the instructor (who is herself transgender) or at a public university in general. The student, in this scenario, knew more or less what would happen and planned to make a lot of noise over it.

This would make her, or those who put her up to it, at least somewhat shrewd. Stupidly shrewd, I'd agree, because the term paper she submitted flagrantly deserved the failing grade it got, and it's available to anyone who wants to read it, but at least calculating.

I have no idea if this was what happened. I generally make a policy of not trying to presume the motivations of someone I don't know. But there are all kinds of reasons that might explain this kerfuffle.

The only truly objective points are these - the paper deserved the score it was given, and OU should make things right with the instructor.

A deeper concern is that this instructor is now getting all kinds of online abuse. If it was someone like me - I've been in my profession for 35 years, and I'm comfortable where I am - this would be concerning, but it probably wouldn't ruin my career. But this instructor is at the dawn of her career, and things like this can cause a lot of damage. This instructor needs a lot of support right now, and that her administration isn't providing it is itself a scandal.

Please note - I am NOT saying that disciplinary action should be taken against the student who submitted the essay. I cannot pretend to understand her motivations. If I was her advisor, I'd find a way to get her withdrawn from the course and explain, as strenuously as possible, that one can hold deep religious views while simultaneously discussing views with which one disagrees, and that grades are assigned based on the quality of the work and its conformation to expectations - not the views expressed therein. No one is saying you can't hold religious views about gender identity and, at the same time, intelligently discuss work that contradicts them.