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The professor isn't telling them to change their personal beliefs. They can believe what they want. What's happening here is that the court is being asked to change the professor's personal belief that these students will not make good scientists. Nobody is owed a recommendation. The only obligation the professor is under is to make his true opinion honestly known to the recipient of the letter.

Actually the court is being asked to protect students from discrimination. The professor is a bigot. What if the good Professor felt that Black people just couldn't be good scientists? And therefore they need not ask for recommendations. The only difference is that the area of discrimination is religion and not race. And if the professor cannot base his recommendations on the students academic achievement, then he should find a nice private college to teach at.

What if the good Professor felt that Black people just couldn't be good scientists? And therefore they need not ask for recommendations. The only difference is that the area of discrimination is religion and not race.

Codswallop. The professor didn't withhold his opinion because they are Christians. He withheld it because they are creationists. The racial analogy would be to a classical history professor being asked to recommend an Afrocentrist who believes that Aristotle was black and that Greek civilization was stolen from Black Africa, or an English professor being asked to recommend a student who insists on using "ebonics" exclusively. Are each of these hypothetical students entitled to a recommendation? Would it be racist to refuse?

Actually the court is being asked to protect students from discrimination. The professor is a bigot.

First, there's no court involved yet. Only a whining letter to the DOJ. Second, the professor is no bigot for saying: "If you don't grasp evolution, I don't care; but don't come in here and ask me to recommend you as a candidate for advanced science study."

What if the good Professor felt that Black people just couldn't be good scientists? And therefore they need not ask for recommendations.

Hey, yeah! And what if he stabbed his grandmother 50 times and kept her carcass in the trunk of his car? Right. Let's get that guy!

The only difference is that the area of discrimination is religion and not race.

This is not religious discrimination. If your religion required you to work nude with your butt painted blue, and your employer insisted on clothing, I'm sure you'd say that this was a case of bigotry. But it's not. Cultists can't have it their way all the time.