Idaho Teacher Says Australia is Not a Country

What is this?! This guy has a PHD and he failed his student because he argued that Australia is a continent not a country.

I've had high hopes for Idaho education, despite statistics that give Idaho a D+. My children have had wonderful teachers and so far I don't have a lot of complaints.

This however is beyond shocking and concerning.

27 year old Ashley Arnold of Idaho Falls is working towards a degree in sociology through online courses at Southern New Hampshire University.

According to Buzzfeed Ashley was assigned to compare a social norm in the United States with another country.

Ashley chose social media and Australia as the comparing country. The shocker came when Ashley got her assignment back and her professor had failed her with the argument that Australia is a continent and not a country!!

After arguing back and forth several times, Ashley filed a report with the university. Truth is Australia is both a country and a continent and the only place that is both.

In the end Ashley's grade was changed from and F to a B+. But the argument seems completely ridiculous to me. What are your thoughts?! Let's be honest did you think of Australia as a continent or a country?!