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"...Actually, that is not correct. The question was: "How do you think the human species originated?" And he required a "rooted in science" answer. If you gave the wrong "opinion" you didn't get the letter..."

DUH! It was a SCIENCE Class! Of course he wanted an answer "rooted in science"

Assume for a minute that this was an ACCOUNTING class, and the instructor asked:

"How do you think bookkeeping should be done?"

If the student described a system that did not provide for double entry checks and balances, then the instructor would have every right to say:

"It appears you have not properly assimilated the material of this class as taught. I could not in good conscience recommend you for further study as an accountant, unless and until you demonstrate an understanding of the fundamentals."

Again, the students were not FAILED, the instructor merely did not write them a letter of recommendation.

I really do not see the problem here, evo or not.

--DUH! It was a SCIENCE Class! Of course he wanted an answer "rooted in science"--

Yes. And his question was worded: "How do you think the human species originated?"

And I ask you, "is it true that you've stopped beating your wife." Both questions depend on an assumption to have any meaning. In the latter case, the assumption is that you have been beating your wife in order to stop or not stop. In the former case, you have to assume evolution is the de-facto explanation for the existence of man, since that is the only explanation offered in any "science" course on the subject.

An intelligent man is aware that with limited knowledge, someone can deduce that a particular event is a possible cause of another event, and yet that deduction can be entirely wrong. He can also deduce that there are other plausible explanations until the evidence for one becomes sufficiently overwhelming. A student who believes that man was created from the dust of the earth and woman from the rib of man could not answer the question to the satisfaction of the teacher because he doesn't buy into the assumption. And there is plenty of reasonableness to that position.

Such a student could have preceded his answer with "I have been taught that..." but it would not be acceptable to this particular professor/preacher. It didn't say what the student "thought."

The professor either a) Didn't realize the phrase "How do you think..." was requiring a belief, or b) is attempting to prostheletize for the church of evolution. Not all adherants to this belief system are religious about it, but if (b) is the answer, this professor is.