Sure thing, David Paszkiewicz, you're being "persecuted" and were
"set up."
For preaching your religious hatred in a history class, then LYING about
it.

Some "persecution."
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February 21, 2007
Teacher Defends Religious Comments in Class 

By TINA KELLEY

KEARNY, N.J., Feb. 20 — The teacher who is the subject of a potential
lawsuit regarding proselytizing in a public high school history class
denied on Tuesday night that he had preached in class and said that the
student who taped him had never expressed discomfort to him about his
comments. 

The teacher, David Paszkiewicz, 38, spoke for the first time with reporters
about the controversy outside a school board meeting here during which the
board took the first step toward approving a policy that specifically
requires teachers to “refrain from advocating one religion.”

The student, Matthew LaClair, 16, recorded the teacher’s history classes in
September after, he said, he became uncomfortable with the religious nature
of the discussions in class. He has said that he felt his criticisms of the
popular teacher would not be believed otherwise. 

Matthew brought his concerns to school officials, and they took corrective
action against the teacher, which Mr. Paszkiewicz called “a reprimand.”

After the tapes became public, Matthew said, he has had little support from
other students. He received a death threat and has been bullied, he said.

Demetrios K. Stratis, Mr. Paszkiewicz’s lawyer, told reporters on Tuesday
night that Matthew’s questions in class led the teacher down a path. “It
doesn’t defy common sense to say he was set up,” Mr. Stratis said before
the board meeting, which was attended by about 150 people.

Matthew has said that he did not initiate any of the classroom
conversations about religion.

In the recordings, Mr. Paszkiewicz said of Jesus, “If you reject his gift
of salvation, then you know where you belong.” He also said: “He did
everything in his power to make sure that you could go to heaven, so much
so that he took your sins on his own body, suffered your pains for you, and
he’s saying, ‘Please, accept me, believe.’ If you reject that, you belong
in hell.” 

In other comments, he is recorded saying that dinosaurs were on Noah’s ark,
and that the Big Bang and evolution were not based on science. 

But on Tuesday night, Mr. Paszkiewicz insisted, “I’m very careful to follow
the guidelines and stick with the curriculum.” 

As for the recordings, he said, “I really wish the entire world would
listen to them.” 

Some of the teacher’s supporters last night carried signs that said, “Jesus
Saves.” One man carried a sign that equated the American Civil Liberties
Union with the Anti Christian Liberties Union. 

On Monday, the LaClair family, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the
People for the American Way Foundation announced the family’s intent to sue
the school district if their complaints are not resolved. 

Matthew and his parents, Paul and Debra LaClair, are asking for an apology
to Matthew and for public corrections to some of the statements Mr.
Paszkiewicz made in class. 

Matthew told the board last night, “During the whole time, I’ve been
harassed and bullied, and you’ve done nothing to defend me; you make it
look like I’ve done something wrong.”

Copyright 2007 The New York Times Company
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