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Updated Nov. 23, 2011
NEW: Judge Sends NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab to Jury Trial for Firing Employee Who Discussed Intelligent Design, Evolutionnews.org Nov. 21, 2011
Urgent Action Required: Contact the leaders of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab and demand they make things right.
The Facts
According to a discrimination lawsuit filed in California Superior Court, supervisors at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) illegally harassed, demoted and retaliated against computer systems administrator David Coppedge without warning after he occasionally loaned pro-intelligent design science videos to some of his colleagues. Coppedge’s actions were deemed inappropriate even though his colleagues were apparently allowed free rein to attack intelligent design in the workplace. After Coppedge filed his discrimination lawsuit, his position was suspiciously terminated by JPL in January 2011. On Nov. 18, 2011, a judge ruled that Coppedge’s case presented legitimate issues of fact and law and ordered that the case move forward to a jury trial. Rather than settle the case, the Jet Propulsion Lab has continued to wage legal war on David Coppedge—wasting precious taxpayer dollars in the process.
Take Action Now
Your phone calls and emails are urgently needed to get NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab to stop its discrimination against employees who think there is scientific evidence of intelligent design. Contact these JPL leaders right now and ask them to settle the Coppedge lawsuit and stop discriminating against employees who believe the universe was intelligently designed:
Dr. Charles Elachi, Director of JPL
Office phone: 818 354-5673
Email address: charles.elachi@jpl.nasa.gov
Dr. Jean-Lou Chameau, President of Cal Tech [Cal Tech operates JPL under a contract with NASA]
Office phone: 626-395-6301
Email address: chameau@caltech.edu
Be respectful in your message, but indicate that as a taxpayer who ultimately pays for the budget of JPL, you think it’s wrong to use taxpayer resources to promote discrimination against intelligent design.
Summary
David Coppedge was an information technology specialist and system administrator on JPL’s international Cassini mission to Saturn, the most ambitious interplanetary exploration ever launched. A division of California Institute of Technology, JPL operates under a contract with the federal space agency. Coppedge held the title of “Team Lead” System Administrator on the mission until his supervisors demoted and humiliated him for advancing ideas that superiors labeled “unwelcome” and “disruptive.” Ultimately they fired him.
Design flaw? A fired NASA employee says he was let go because of his belief in intelligent design
World Magazine, February 16, 2011
Intelligent Design Proponent Fired from NASA Lab
The Christian Post, January 26, 2011
JPL worker sues over intelligent design demotion
Associated Press, April 19, 2010
Intelligent Design proponent who works at JPL says he experienced religious discrimination
San Gabriel Valley Tribune, April 18, 2010
Discrimination Lawsuit Filed against NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab for Harassing and Demoting Supporter of Intelligent Design
Discovery Institute, April 14, 2010
Additional articles about Coppedge Case
David Coppedge is an information technology specialist and high level system administrator at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. Coppedge has worked on the international Cassini mission to Saturn at JPL since 1997, the most ambitious interplanetary exploration ever launched. In that capacity, he has a wide breadth of knowledge about technical aspects of Cassini's computers and networks and was heavily involved in all the mission operations. From 2000-2009, he held the title of “Team Lead System Administrator” on Cassini until his supervisors demoted and humiliated him for advancing handing out pro-intelligent design DVDs that were deemed “unwelcome” and “disruptive.” Coppedge has been a faithful and highly regarded JPL employee for many years, has led tours of the lab and has served as an outreach speaker presenting the Cassini findings to civic and astronomy clubs and school groups. Also actively involved in the intelligent design movement, Coppedge serves on the board of Illustra Media, which has produced videos such as Unlocking the Mystery of Life and The Privileged Planet—the very DVDs that his employer has tried to suppress at JPL.
