There’s Nothing Wrong with Transparency
In the age of Facebook untagging, it’s no secret that Internet personas can hold drastic consequences. For astronomy professor Martin Gaskell, who posted his lecture notes online, it meant being disqualified from a coveted observatory job at the University of Kentucky due to his religious views. But while this may have put a damper on Gaskell’s career, the Internet democratizes information so that a more informed opinion can be made.
It’s for the best that today, you can to log on to social networking sites and discover your future roommate’s closet World of Warcraft obsession — and so too that a prospective employer can sign on to read Gaskell’s “Genesis” astronomy lectures.
We can’t condone religious discrimination, but the public property of the Internet can provides a way for people to make fair assessments and judgments.
Transparency is never a bad thing, no matter the situation. With the knowledge that Gaskell’s religious views crossed over into his astronomy lectures in the past, the head of the observatory at the University of Kentucky was able to make a more educated decision on whether he was the right fit for the job after all.
— Margaret Yau
Associate Opinion Editor
When Bias is Hired, the Students Lose
Though employers aren’t allowed to discriminate based on religion, there are valid concerns to factor into the hiring process when someone’s beliefs interfere with way he does his job.
In this case, the University of Kentucky had the right to deny Dr. Gaskell a job as an astronomer, as his evangelical beliefs contradict widely accepted scientific theory and have compromised his teaching.
The university didn’t just suspect Gaskell of open endorsement of his faith; they had solid proof. In his previous lectures at the University of Texas — another public institution — Dr. Gaskell used astronomical
theory to support the creationism aspect of “Genesis” and discussed what he felt were flaws in evolutionary
theory.
Gaskell’s isn’t the first case of this kind. Astrophysicist Guillermo Gonzalez was denied tenure at Iowa State University for supporting creationism. Gaskell’s case is even more clear-cut, since he not only endorses religious explanations for the scientific, but openly lectures on them.
Students pay thousands of dollars every year for their education; it’s the university’s duty to ensure that
professors are qualified to teach. Hiring a professor that teaches ideas that are out of date is a great disservice to students. Research universities exist to advance thinking and challenge convention, not rehash religious dogma.
— Revathy Sampath-Kumar
Staff Writer
No Form of Discrimination is Acceptable
Discrimination, whether religious, racial, or sexual, isn’t tolerated in the United States — especially at a public institution. The University of Kentucky’s decision not to hire Martin Gaskell based on his religious beliefs — and a simple Google search that revealed he was using astronomy to prove the creationism of
“Genesis” — is appalling and antithetical to the United States Constitution.
The university refused to hire him based on the claim that Gaskell is “evangelical.” Despite the fact that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prevents employers from discriminating against hiring someone due to religious beliefs, the UK still holds that they’re in the green. According to the ruling in Barnes v. City of Cincinnati, as long as religion was one of the factors used in the decision not to hire Gaskell, the university is in violation of the law.
Christians — like any other religious group — shouldn’t be persecuted for their beliefs in a secular political arena. Professional interviews may be required by law to overlook matters of religious concern, but still, discrimination slips through.
The Constitution’s separation of church and state doesn’t mean that public universities should be sermonizing, but it also doesn’t mean that anyone who has ever been to church can’t work there.
— Saad Asad
Staff Writer
