Religion in school hit

Worcester humanists hear teen’s experience

WORCESTER— Matthew LaClair looked forward to taking his accelerated 11th-grade American history class, hoping to learn how the founding fathers, among other things, framed the U.S. Constitution to guarantee that the government would be free of religious influences.

The 16-year-old got more than he had hoped for — becoming the focus of a lingering separation of church and state controversy that some feel will be discussed for years to come in constitutional law classes.

Mr. LaClair, now 18, drew national media attention back in fall 2006 after complaining that David Paszkiewicz, his history instructor at Kearny High School in Kearny, N.J., was proselytizing.

The teen, who felt uncomfortable with what his teacher was saying, secretly taped eight classes, which revealed Mr. Paszkiewicz discussing his faith and telling his students that heavenly salvation could only be attained through Jesus Christ.

“I don’t have any problem with what he believes in,” said Mr. LaClair, who spoke yesterday afternoon at the annual summer outing of the Greater Worcester Humanists group. “But I do have a problem about him talking about his religion in a public high school and trying to convert his students.”
[snip]
What happened almost two years ago still bitterly divides the town of Kearny, a community of about 41,000 that’s located across the Passaic River from Newark. It also has provided further fodder in the long-running debate about the role of religion in public classrooms.

“I am saddened, frustrated, and just angry about how school officials handled the whole thing,” said Mr. LaClair.

He was surprised that most people in Kearny ended up supporting Mr. Paszkiewicz, a well-liked 16-year veteran of the school system.

Mr. LaClair said that even many longtime friends turned against him. One student sent him a death threat.

“He’s so convincing that you like to hear him talk,” said Mr. LaClair of his former teacher. “He’s charming and calming. I also think a lot of people thought that I was personally attacking Jesus and his faith. I never intended to do that.”
[snip]
According to Mr. LaClair, Mr. Paszkiewicz, during class time, advocated the theory of creationism, denigrated the beliefs of Muslims, and said that only Christians were destined for heaven. In one discussion, Mr. Paszkiewicz observed that dinosaurs were aboard Noah’s Ark.

“He basically said that if you didn’t follow Jesus you’d go to hell,” Mr. LaClair said.