Should scientists who believe the universe is the product of intelligent design be fired? Should science teachers who tell students about evidence that challenges Darwin’s theory of evolution be reprimanded? Should students who want to explore both the strengths and weaknesses of Darwinian evolution be discouraged from doing so? If you answered no to these questions, click here and sign the Academic Freedom Petition.

If you answered yes, then keep reading and hopefully you will change your mind.

Just this morning astronomer Dr. Guillermo Gonzalez had his appeal for tenure at Iowa State University denied by the university’s board of regents. He was denied tenure for committing a thought crime. He thought intelligent design was something a scientist could research without fear of losing his job.

America is supposed to believe in free speech, but on the issues of evolution and intelligent design right now, there is precious little freedom of discussion. This is the key reason we started Discovery Institute’s Center for Science & Culture more than ten years ago. And it is the central point of the new film, Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.

And protecting academic freedom and free speech is why Discovery Institute is helping to sponsor the Academic Freedom Petition at www.academicfreedompetition.com.

Academic Freedom is under attack in America. Right now, state science standards are being twisted by Darwinian activists to dogmatically rule that only the evidence supporting Darwinism can be presented in science classes across the country, and teachers are being pressured to not teach students that there is scientific evidence that challenges Darwin’s theory. Scientists in state universities are losing their jobs for dissenting from Darwinism or researching intelligent design.

A new website, AcademicFreedomPetition.com, has been launched to support the rights of teachers and students to learn all about evolution, and to protect the freedom of scientists to research alternative scientific theories such as intelligent design. Supporters of academic freedom can go to www.academicfreedompetition.com to sign the Academic Freedom Petition and stand up for science.

Read the rest here.