Professor Refuses Letters of Recommendation to Creationist Students

AP Breaking News ^

[governsleastgovernsbest]

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-evolution-dispute0130jan30,0,713004.story

Professor's Letter Refusal Causes Probe By LISA FALKENBERG Associated Press Writer

January 30, 2003, 9:50 AM EST

DALLAS -- A biology professor who refuses to write letters of recommendation for his students if they don't believe in evolution is being accused of religious discrimination, and federal officials are investigating, the school said.

The legal complaint was filed against Texas Tech University and professor Michael Dini by a student and the Liberty Legal Institute, a religious freedom group that calls Dini's policy "open religious bigotry."

[wideawake]

"Good scientists would never throw out data that do not conform to their expectations or beliefs," he writes.

Then no good scientist can be a doctrinaire evolutionist, by his definition.

[BibChr]

Gee, enlightened, open-minded, scientific, non-religious people don't do this sort of thing! This is... this is a, INQUISITION! Only religious people do that!!

< blistering sarcasm >

Dan

[borisbob69]

What I've never understood is the fact it takes sooooo much more faith to believe in the (theory) of evolution than it does to accept the Biblical story of creation, and yet the anti-God crowd mocks us for our beliefs and our faith!

[Steve_Seattle]

I sympathize with the student, but no one has a legal right to a letter of recommendation from anyone. In this specific instance, the professor might simply think that a supporter of creationism is not upholding rigorous scientific standards.

[Theyknow]

This may be a matter of free speech. If the students don't follow what he teaches then he can't very well recommend them, can he? If the situation were reversed I wouldn't expect the Creationist to recommend a student who didn't believe.

[Theyknow]

This may be a matter of free speech. If the students don't follow what he teaches then he can't very well recommend them, can he? If the situation were reversed I wouldn't expect the Creationist to recommend a student who didn't believe.

[ArrogantBustard]

Professor Dini, and his colleagues:

[ClearCase_guy]

I confess that I did not go to the link. But it seems to me that this issue is not about Freedom of Religion or Freedom of Speech. It seems like its about forcing someone to speak in your behalf even when they feel that you are not worthy of support.

Maybe the Professor should write letter of recommendation like: "Joe does not have the makings of a scientist. He is incapable of logical thought and does not adequately recognize scientific proof versus wishful-thinking. He cannot grasp complex data and jumps to unwarranted conclusions far too rapidly. I suspect he is fit for a low-level clerical job with the government, but nothing more stenuous."

Now, I consider myself a Creationist (or at least an anti-evolutionist) but if this Professor feels as he does, then I think he would be justified in writing such a scathing letter. He is being kind if he is attempting to dodge that task.

[LiteKeeper]

Point of Order: AP is just breaking this story that has been around for over two weeks. Nice that they can get on board.

YEC

[BibChr]

Perfect!

[tallhappy]

This is bigotry.

It's a variation on the academic left's preconceived notions and biases.

This is worse. There is no reaon he should even know the student's beliefs on the matter, yet he goes out of his way to ask.

[Cicero]

My first reaction was to get angry at the professor, because I think the General Theory of Evolution is scientific hogwash.

But given his beliefs, I think he has a perfect right to refuse recommendations.

Just consider the alternative, which would have been to agree to write recommendations, and then secretly write bad ones. That happens all too often. Much better that he is open about it.

How can you force someone to write a recommendation he doesn't believe in? Most courts are very reluctant to get involved in academic matters like this, and hopefully the lawsuit will go nowhere. I sympathize with the students, but this isn't the right answer.

[OperationFreedom]

His career needs to be hung by the balls

[I'm ALL Right!]

Ping! Yet another example of bias in our university system...see, you aren't the only one who suffered!

[B. Rabbit]

This isn't about creationism versus evolutionism. This is about freedom. Do you want to force this man to write glowing reports about these students? No matter how you see the theories of evo or creationism, what kind of society would we be if people could force professors to write whatever we wanted them to about students?

What these students and the groups supporting them are doing is a liberal tactic.

[tallhappy]

Same argument could be made for any non-materialistic non-atheistic belief held by a student.

[helpontheway]

I think it's probably a safe assumption that the student's beliefs were probably made well-known throughout the course of the class. If the teacher is trying to teach science and the the student interjects with "creationist" dogma, the teacher hardly would have needed to ask.

[Dark Knight]

>>The Web page advises students seeking a recommendation to be prepared to answer the question: "How do you think the human species originated?" <<

Since the biologist is one of the required recommendations for medicine he is using evolution as a litmus test. He is not asking for a person's understanding of the Theory of Evolution, he is asking for their beliefs on the origin. But of course he is only referring people to his website, he does not want a public debate on the issue...I guess that's free speech without talking.

DK

[tallhappy]

No. You are making the mistake that belief is equal to knowledge and understanding of the subject matter.

He had to ask them directly if they believe in a creator or not. It was not apparent from their tests or papers.

It is the same as asking if your favorite color is blue and refusing a recommendation over that.