Christian Astronomer, Univ. of Kentucky Reach Settlement

By Nathan Black, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, January 18, 2011

A Christian astronomer who sued the University of Kentucky over religious discrimination reached a settlement on Tuesday.

Professor Martin Gaskell claimed he was turned down for a top post – Observatory Director – after it was discovered that he was an evangelical Christian.

"The reaction of some of those involved in this hiring process to a scientist who dared to be open about his Christian faith is, unfortunately, fairly typical of academia generally," said Francis J. Manion, senior trial counsel at the American Center for Law and Justice, who represented Gaskell.

"It is simply untenable to think that an avowed Christian, evangelical or otherwise, or any other scientist of religious faith, is somehow incapable or less capable of performing his or her job in science education, research, or outreach. Such a standard would eliminate from consideration some of the most celebrated names in the history of science, from Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, Pascal, Pasteur, among many others, to contemporary scientists like Francis Collins, the head of the Human Genome Project and President Obama's choice to run the National Institutes for Health (NIH)."

Gaskell, a native of the United Kingdom, had been a leading candidate for the job running the University of Kentucky's observatory. But the school hired someone else in 2007.

The ACLJ contends the hiring decision was made after concerns were voiced that some of Gaskell's writings on a personal website discussing the relationship between science and religion showed him to be "potentially evangelical."

There were concerns that he blended religious thought with scientific theory and that he might be a creationist.

The respected astronomer filed suit against the university, claiming that the school violated the Civil Rights Acts of 1964, which prohibits employers from using an applicant's religion, among other things, in making hiring decisions.

In November, U.S. District Judge Karl Forester of Kentucky ruled that there was no dispute that Gaskell was a leading candidate and that he provided direct evidence of religious discrimination – one being an email by the search committee chair.

"It has become clear to me that there is virtually no way Gaskell will be offered the job despite his qualifications that stand far above those of any other applicant. Other reasons will be given for this choice when we meet Tuesday. In the end, however, the real reason why we will not offer him the job is because of his religious beliefs in matters that are unrelated to astronomy or to any of the duties specified for this position," Professor Thomas Troland wrote in the email.

The case was allowed to move forward and a trial had been scheduled for February.

But in a settlement, the university agreed to pay Gaskell $125,000 to end the case.

"In bringing this case and successfully resolving it we believe we have shed some much-needed light on a problem that is by no means limited to the University of Kentucky," Manion said.

"We can only hope that this case will send a message throughout academia that religious intolerance is just as unlawful as other forms of prejudice and bias."

Gaskell is a professional astronomer with a primary interest in extra-galactic astronomy and, in particular, super-massive black holes and active galactic nuclei. Before applying for the position at the University of Kentucky, he worked in the Physics & Astronomy Department at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.