Professor's Snub of Creationists Prompts U.S. Inquiry

New York Times ^ | 2/02/03 | NICK MADIGAN

[kattracks]

UBBOCK, Tex., Feb. 2 — A biology professor who insists that his students accept the tenets of human evolution has found himself the subject of Justice Department scrutiny.

Prompted by a complaint from the Liberty Legal Institute, a group of Christian lawyers, the department is investigating whether Michael L. Dini, an associate professor of biology at Texas Tech University here, discriminated against students on the basis of religion when he posted a demand on his Web site that students wanting a letter of recommendation for postgraduate studies "truthfully and forthrightly affirm a scientific answer" to the question of how the human species originated.

"The central, unifying principle of biology is the theory of evolution," Dr. Dini wrote. "How can someone who does not accept the most important theory in biology expect to properly practice in a field that is so heavily based on biology?"

That was enough for the lawyers' group, based in Plano, a Dallas suburb, to file a complaint on behalf of a 22-year-old Texas Tech student, Micah Spradling.

Mr. Spradling said he sat in on two sessions of Dr. Dini's introductory biology class and shortly afterward noticed the guidelines on the professor's Web site (www2.tltc.ttu.edu/dini/Personal/letters.htm).

Mr. Spradling said that given the professor's position, there was "no way" he would have enrolled in Dr. Dini's class or asked him for a recommendation to medical school.

"That would be denying my faith as a Christian," said Mr. Spradling, a junior raised in Lubbock who plans to study prosthetics and orthotics at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. "They've taken prayer out of schools and the Ten Commandments out of courtrooms, so I thought I had an opportunity to make a difference."

In an interview in his office, Dr. Dini pointed to a computer screen full of e-mail messages and said he felt besieged.

"The policy is not meant in any way to be discriminatory toward anyone's beliefs, but instead to ensure that people who I recommend to a medical school or a professional school or a graduate school in the biomedical sciences are scientists," he said. "I think science and religion address very different types of questions, and they shouldn't overlap."

Dr. Dini, who said he had no intention of changing his policy, declined to address the question of his own faith. But university officials and several students who support him say he is a religious man.

"He's a devout Catholic," said Greg Rogers, 36, a pre-med student from Lubbock. "He's mentioned it in discussion groups."

Mr. Rogers, who returned to college for a second degree and who said his beliefs aligned with Dr. Dini's, added: "I believe in God and evolution. I believe that evolution was the tool that brought us about. To deny the theory of evolution is, to me, like denying the law of gravity. In science, a theory is about as close to a fact as you can get."

Another student, Brent Lawlis, 21, from Midland, Tex., said he hoped to become an orthopedic surgeon and had had no trouble obtaining a letter of recommendation from Dr. Dini. "I'm a Christian, but there's too much biological evidence to throw out evolution," he said.

But other students waiting to enter classes Friday morning said they felt that Dr. Dini had stepped over the line. "Just because someone believes in creationism doesn't mean he shouldn't give them a recommendation," said Lindsay Otoski, 20, a sophomore from Albuquerque who is studying nursing. "It's not fair."

On Jan. 21, Jeremiah Glassman, chief of the Department of Justice's civil rights division, told the university's general counsel, Dale Pat Campbell, that his office was looking into the complaint, and asked for copies of the university's policies on letters of recommendation.

David R. Smith, the Texas Tech chancellor, said on Friday afternoon that the university, a state institution with almost 30,000 students and an operating budget of $845 million, had no such policy and preferred to leave such matters to professors.

In a letter released by his office, Dr. Smith noted that there were 38 other faculty members who could have issued Mr. Spradling a letter of recommendation, had he taken their classes. "I suspect there are a number of them who can and do provide letters of recommendation to students regardless of their ability to articulate a scientific answer to the origin of the human species," Dr. Smith wrote.

Members of the Liberty Legal Institute, who specialize in litigating what they call religious freedom cases, said their complaint was a matter of principle.

"There's no problem with Dr. Dini saying you have to understand evolution and you have to be able to describe it in detail," said Kelly Shackelford, the group's chief counsel, "but you can't tell students that they have to hold the same personal belief that you do."

Mr. Shackelford said that he would await the outcome of the Justice Department investigation but that the next step would probably be to file a suit against the university.

[HiTech RedNeck]

The pi=3 belief student (to take a very silly example; the bible does NOT teach this) would be fine as long as he can show the math professor the proper equations.

[Catspaw]

From the student's statements, he's the one who wants to change the system, to force this professor, and possibly the university, to teach creationism rather than evolution, or to have the university offer a class in creationism rather than evolution, for whatever science requirement this class would fulfill (if this is a required course).

[js1138]

That's what grades are for. Recommendations go beyond that or they would be of no use whatsoever.

That's why students go to professors they get along with. Same in working life. Not everyone is going to see you as your true, charming self.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Even in the science field this would be bigoted. There is lots of biology which can be done well by non-evolutionary-originists. Yes it goes beyond grades; it speaks to such ungraded variables as creativity (ahem) of work and honesty of character. But personal belief in evolutionary origins does not belong there. The professor can be frank and recommend the student in the areas where he agrees (which will be 99% of practical biological science) and save his "unqualified" for those who toe the Darwin line, if he wishes.

[bondserv]

Political Science professor refuses student Letter of Recommendation because he voted for Bush, clearly this student didn't master the tenets of what makes a competent politician.

Law professor refuses student Letter of Recommendation because student is pro-life not anti-life, clearly this student didn't honor the tenets of out great law creating system.

Sociology professor refuses student Letter of Recommendation because student believes spanking a child for correction is not a violation to the child that only produces negative results.

Medical professor refuses student Letter of Recommendation because student tells other student the cadaver was a tent for the soul, clearly student fails to recognize that life is brain waves a heart beat and nothing else.

Maybe sweeping streets isn't so bad after all.

[Physicist]

The pi=3 belief student (to take a very silly example; the bible does NOT teach this)

It's not silly: devout Christians have had differing interpretations over whether the Bible teaches that or not, just as they have had differing interpretations over whether the Bible teaches a 6,000-year-old universe. But what the Bible teaches is quite beside the point: the issue concerns what this particular student believes about mathematics, just as the real-life case concerns what particular students believe about biology. In all likelihood the professor has written many letters of recommendation for devout Christians who accept evolution.

would be fine as long as he can show the math professor the proper equations.

Fine to you, but if it's not fine to the professor, should he be compelled to say it's fine?

[balrog666]

Hell, I can't wait for the churches to finally become federalized, then there will be no friggin' ambiguity. Once and for all we will be told just what to believe in, pure and simple. One church, one faith one god, you are either with us or you are a terrorist. Thank god for GWB, the way, truth and light!

BWAAAAAAAAAHAHAHA! Good one!

And don't forget, just one version of Creation.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Beg pardon, where did the lawsuit ever seek this? One complaint about anti religious bigotry and wham, we get accusations of a creationist Inquisition.

[TightSqueeze]

and possibly the university, to teach creationism rather ...than evolution, or to have the university offer a class in creationism rather than evolution, for whatever science requirement this class would fulfill (if this is a required course).

My wife is in the process of completing her bachelor's and has just started a course in 'Environmental Biology' huge BS factor, thank god she is spending taxpayer money, hate to think I was workin' my butt off supporting this kind on nonsense.

[Alamo-Girl]

Kudos for the great analogies at post 85. That would make a fine closing argument for the DOJ.

Einstein said "I have deep faith that the principle of the universe will be beautiful and simple." I agree with him, and wonder if even that view would be intolerable to Dini.

[bondserv]

So you believe evolution is so much basic biology that it has no issues.

In my math
Oil glands + Sticky Web = Designed Spider

Your math
Oil Glands + Sticky Web = Mother earth, Gaia, Supercomputing micro virus, morphing DNA code, Nuclear radiation, SPIDERMAN

Comic book math.

[HiTech RedNeck]

In all likelihood the professor has written many letters of recommendation for devout Christians who accept evolution.

And none for those who don't

[Kryptonite]

I stated my position on the earlier thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/832501/posts


Not surprisingly, nobody took issue with me.

[Catspaw]

Beg pardon, where did the lawsuit ever seek this? One complaint about anti religious bigotry and wham, we get accusations of a creationist Inquisition.

There's no lawsuit yet. But the boy will sue. And you can bet his lawyers will offer this as a settlement proposal. If, of course, he gets that far. I doubt if he will.

[MamaB]

Oh, baloney! I know a lot of creation believing drs., nurses and scientists. His rule should be on how well they did in class not on their Christian beliefs. The Justice Dept. should investigate.

[MamaB]

Very well said.

[HiTech RedNeck]

And you can bet his lawyers will offer this as a settlement proposal

You've been in too much catnip again.

[Catspaw]

LOL! But he & his lawyers are foreshadowing. We could place a wager on it, of course.

[MEGoody]

"My guess is if asked, these special students wouldn't be so sure that the sun, stars and planets didn't revolve around the earth too!"

That seems a rather juvenile comment, and seems to indicate you don't have any real basis for an opinion.

[Catspaw]

His rule should be on how well they did in class not on their Christian beliefs.

That's the grading system. This student is talking about letters of recommendation from this professor.

Of course, this presumes the student has taken the course in the first place. This student hasn't.