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The critical importance of teaching evolution


Guest Paul

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Guest Paul

The intellectual dishonesty in the creationist arguments in the following video is frightening.

Among the ridiculous arguments is that our grandparents don’t look like apes. Well, actually the similarities are striking if you contrast primates with non-primates, but more important, evolution takes many generations. The argument that evolution didn’t happen because apes don’t turn into humans before our eyes is dishonest. Furthermore, scientists have observed evolution of simpler organisms, whose generational timing is compressed compared to that of primates.

We’re still dealing with this in Kearny. The latest edition of the KHS student newspaper announces that the Alpha and Omega club is contemplating a trip to the so-called Creation Museum. It is no coincidence that the club’s “adviser” is Mr. Paszkiewicz. I hope they aren’t planning on spending a single dime of taxpayer money on this.

In any case, I do not believe that young-earth creationism represents the views of the majority of Kearny’s Christians. So why are you silent? This is a threat to the education of your children.

If we want our kids to understand science, this is an intolerable situation. There is very little doubt that a certain teacher is still pushing his views. Having escaped termination or any meaningful sanction, he is now emboldened to push the envelope further.

Plainly put, his views on this subject are ignorant. I know that from what I heard when he was recorded expounding on this subject.

Evolution is an established scientific fact, based on more than a century of scientific research and data collection. Calling it a pre-conceived idea is dishonest.

Equally to the point, it is a part of the mandatory curriculum. It is not up to Mr. Paszkiewicz, or any other teacher, to ignore the law. Yet the law is regularly being ignored because we allow a few radicals to protest the teaching of established science. If we care about our children’s education, we cannot allow this to continue.

Because the Alpha and Omega club is within the law’s guidelines by outward appearances, its operations are legal. However, I wonder what really goes on in those meetings. I hope that I am not the only Kearny citizen who is concerned about this. There can be no doubt that a school-sanctioned club is being used to promote scientific ignorance. This affects the education of all our students and adversely affects our town.

Meanwhile, here are some videos that make more sense and offer a little more hope:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_AcaF8JgGc&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffX9msPCwZk...feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kk1STV5nqY&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UtwMczGKX8...feature=related

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Guest Paul

Are there limits on what clubs a school will recognize as school clubs? If so, what should be the criteria?

Obviously (I hope), the school would not sanction or condone a club supporting the goals of NAMBLA, since that organization promotes illegal activity. I’m quite certain that a club dedicated to the reading of erotic popular magazines like Playboy would meet with disapproval, too – but on what grounds? The activity is legal. What if the seniors formed a club whose mission was to take every student to a strip club on his or her eighteenth birthday, when it’s legal?

I understand that a former principal put the lid on an attempt by some students to form a gay-straight alliance club. He had no business doing that. The club is completely legal, and it furthers an important educational mission of promoting tolerance.

What about a club encouraging young people to smoke cigarettes? What about a cigar club? A wine advocates’ club? A beer-guzzlers’ club? Does it make a difference if each of these clubs cautions that students should engage in the activity of interest only after they reach legal age? What, then, about a club in which the students discuss how to have great sex? How about a school club for education in tantric practices (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tantra#Sexual_rites )?

Each scenario offers its own set of considerations. Tantra in particular would offer the school system a fascinating set of tough choices because it’s a religion, just like Christianity is. And like Christianity, it teaches its view of sexual practices. Withholding recognition and equal treatment would immediately raise First Amendment issues that the school could not overcome.

What about a club dedicated to reviving the ancient notion of spontaneous generation (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spontaneous_generation ) or a geocentric universe (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geocentric_model ). What about a KKK club at Kearny High? A Nazi youth club? How about a “trenchcoat mafia” club? How about a club dedicated to discussing strategies for skipping school? A pro-bulimia club? How ignorant, twisted or bigoted does a school club have to be before the school properly refuses to recognize it?

My view is that a recognized school club should be consistent with the school’s educational purposes – not the biases of its administrators but the educational purposes of the school system. Not every club need promote an educational purpose, but at the very least, it should not undermine what the school is there to achieve. For that reason, a Christian club is appropriate, but if it seeks to promote young-earth creationism, it crosses the line. I would not refuse to recognize the club over that unless it became the club’s main focus, but I do not believe that the school should in any way encourage it. In fact, the school’s educational mission is to discourage young-earth creationism, because it is contrary to the established science curriculum. This is no different than a “geocentric solar system” club. Thus, the school would withhold recognition based on the legitimate secular purpose of promoting the school’s educational mission. That includes withholding any supportive funds, such as providing a bus to travel to the “creation museum.”

I don’t think that’s an unfair rule. On the contrary, it is a necessary one. If that isn’t the standard, then what is?

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Guest Curious

Certainly this topic is concerning based off the past events, BUT I attended a Jesuit-run university that approached similar topics as part of a balanced curriculum. In fact one of my favorite classes evaluated religion's approach to suffering. We were required to read text including: Night by Wiesel, Siddartha, He Leadeth Me by Ciszek, and River Out of Eden by Dawkins. There was a lot of healthy discussion by exposing us to the different views. Exposure to things like the Creationist museum should be applauded IF its approached as exposure to a perspective. I understand the concern and I too share that concern. What other trips has this club taken?

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I watched the first Youtube link reporting the brainwash of the children.

Not one of those kids will be exposed to ANY arguments calling the bible nonsense and god impossible to know as anything but a vague force, let alone as a supreme human-like being with a gender and a PROFILE!!! So please understand if I say "FRIGGIN PHOOEY" when bible sophists claim to be providing equal time to evolution based teaching.

Those kids in the vid....it was like the sad reality of seeing the seeds planted for fields of future George W Bush clones.

Imagine that? Endless little monkeys claiming special endorsement by god as they steal and injure and preach that their victims are fortunate for it? Sounds like a few white supremist guests and patriotic toobies that specialize in contemptable guff here on our messageboard.

Hey! Evolution simply teaches that we humans are merely the higher monkeys. Doesn't it all make perfect sense when we courageously look at ourselves? I've seen the table manners of some powerful men. They eat like Bingo the Chimp from Abbott and Costello!!

:lol: AMEN and PRAISE BE TO bleeding Jeezee and the holly FADDA passing the collection orb........glory to ghost on rye. :lol:

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Guest Paul
Certainly this topic is concerning based off the past events, BUT I attended a Jesuit-run university that approached similar topics as part of a balanced curriculum. In fact one of my favorite classes evaluated religion's approach to suffering. We were required to read text including: Night by Wiesel, Siddartha, He Leadeth Me by Ciszek, and River Out of Eden by Dawkins. There was a lot of healthy discussion by exposing us to the different views. Exposure to things like the Creationist museum should be applauded IF its approached as exposure to a perspective. I understand the concern and I too share that concern. What other trips has this club taken?

I know they took a bus to see the film "Expelled" about a year ago. Since Matthew graduated, I don't follow their activities but when I saw this planned trip in the KHS newspaper it raised concerns all over again.

Christianity is about so many things, including many wonderful things; it's just too coincidental that the "creation museum" promotes one of Mr. Paszkiewicz's favorite issues. Surely the Christian students at KHS don't really think Christianity is just about dinosaurs cohabiting with humans - I hope.

I have one set of concerns as an advocate of church-state separation, another set as an advocate of good education and still another as a Kearny taxpayer. If Mr. Paszkiewicz's shenanigans end up costing me money, I'm not going to be a happy camper. He really needs to get it through his head that our school system isn't his personal soap box.

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Guest Paul

I wish to be very clear about something. I am not criticizing the belief that there is a god who created the universe, the world, etc. While I see no evidence of that, I would not call that belief ignorant.

My criticism is of young-earth creationism, which holds that the earth was created 6,000 years ago and that evolution never happened. That view is profoundly ignorant. It is contrary to a mountain of scientific information and is inconsistent with a modern world view.

For any teacher to hold such a view today, with all the scientific knowledge we have and that our children need, is disgraceful. He can hardly help but peddle ignorance to his students. When he is on an evangelical mission to promote the view, a mission from which he is obviously undaunted despite his notoriety on the subject, I do not believe that he should be teaching in our school system. He has already demonstrated his eagerness to peddle ignorance as truth, and it is obvious that he hasn't learned a thing. We can't trust him.

We are on notice as a community that this man is a problem. We will have no defense if he gets us into trouble.

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When science discovers how life originated, let me know.

Meanwhile you'll perpetuate the stupid and dangerous myth of a nebulous book that bluntly promises all those Asian people an eternity in hell because they live life oblivious to bleeding Jeezee. :lol:

In the many many messageboards I have experienced, NEVER have I found anyone with your resolute enthusiasm to excel as a punching bag.

You truly are the best! :lol:

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Guest 2smart4u
Meanwhile you'll perpetuate the stupid and dangerous myth of a nebulous book that bluntly promises all those Asian people an eternity in hell because they live life oblivious to bleeding Jeezee. :huh:

In the many many messageboards I have experienced, NEVER have I found anyone with your resolute enthusiasm to excel as a punching bag.

You truly are the best! :lol:

Hmmm, I seem to have hit a nerve and exposed the missing link of "science".

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Guest Guest

Why is this discussion being held?

First of all, students that want to be in the Alpha Omega Club join it. Otherwise, no one is forcing them to join to to attend the meetings.

Secondly, field trips are not funded by the BOE or school, all of the trips I have been on, the students pay for. So it is their money and their decision to go on this trip.

You have NO say over other people's decisions.

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Guest Guest
Why is this discussion being held?

First of all, students that want to be in the Alpha Omega Club join it. Otherwise, no one is forcing them to join to to attend the meetings.

Secondly, field trips are not funded by the BOE or school, all of the trips I have been on, the students pay for. So it is their money and their decision to go on this trip.

You have NO say over other people's decisions.

I started this topic because it appears that Mr. Paszkiewicz is still pushing his agenda. However, if the taxpayers are not funding this, then I completely agree with you.

Even so, it's very troubling that one of our teachers has taken a strong public position that is completely antithetical to one of the school's most fundamental educational missions: a sound education in science. A trip to a strip club for the 18-year-olds would meet all of your criteria, too, but I find it hard to believe the community wouldn't be up in arms over it. Why isn't this community up in arms over the promotion of ignorance by this teacher?

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Guest Paul
Hmmm, I seem to have hit a nerve and exposed the missing link of "science".

No, you've just made the same aggravating comment that people make when they don't understand science. Of course there are "missing links" in science. The whole point of science is to continue discovering new things. Science has advanced us in the understanding of biological life tremendously, and continues to do so.

Meanwhile, throughout its thousands of years of existence, theology has made no advances in this field whatsoever. Theology doesn't have "missing links" in this field; it has nothing, except statements that people either accept on faith or not.

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Guest no more

Paul,

Why is Mr. Paskewicz still working? I know you've been over this a million times on these boards, but I've been wondering if there is something more we could do as a community to stop him from continuing his religious crusade INSIDE OUR OWN PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. It makes me sick to see his face on the cover of local newspapers (as awful as those newspapers are), promoting his "book" (ROFL). He is taunting US, Paul. He thinks he has won a battle against those of us who believe in well established scientific fact! And he has. He's still fighting a war, though. Why shouldn't we? Why has this thing died down? EVERYBODY, THIS MAN DID NOT GET FIRED! THIS DOESN'T BLOW YOUR MIND? And now the Alpha and Omega club? A trip to a creationism museum?

What can we do, Paul? Do I go to a BOE meeting? Where do I begin? I know people who are even more passionate myself about these issues and they're so ready to do whatever it takes. I'm willing to look as stupid as some Christian fundamentalist and picket KHS. I'll do ANYTHING within my legal rights. So, you're the expert on those, what can I do? What can my community do?

Thank you,

Kyle

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Guest Paul
Paul,

Why is Mr. Paskewicz still working? I know you've been over this a million times on these boards, but I've been wondering if there is something more we could do as a community to stop him from continuing his religious crusade INSIDE OUR OWN PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. It makes me sick to see his face on the cover of local newspapers (as awful as those newspapers are), promoting his "book" (ROFL). He is taunting US, Paul. He thinks he has won a battle against those of us who believe in well established scientific fact! And he has. He's still fighting a war, though. Why shouldn't we? Why has this thing died down? EVERYBODY, THIS MAN DID NOT GET FIRED! THIS DOESN'T BLOW YOUR MIND? And now the Alpha and Omega club? A trip to a creationism museum?

What can we do, Paul? Do I go to a BOE meeting? Where do I begin? I know people who are even more passionate myself about these issues and they're so ready to do whatever it takes. I'm willing to look as stupid as some Christian fundamentalist and picket KHS. I'll do ANYTHING within my legal rights. So, you're the expert on those, what can I do? What can my community do?

Thank you,

Kyle

Contact me. My phone number is in the book, or register here and send me a message. Let's get a group of people together and stand up for quality education in Kearny, especially in the sciences. This is about a quality education for our kids.

Post 12 is mine.

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Guest Guest
I started this topic because it appears that Mr. Paszkiewicz is still pushing his agenda. However, if the taxpayers are not funding this, then I completely agree with you.

Even so, it's very troubling that one of our teachers has taken a strong public position that is completely antithetical to one of the school's most fundamental educational missions: a sound education in science. A trip to a strip club for the 18-year-olds would meet all of your criteria, too, but I find it hard to believe the community wouldn't be up in arms over it. Why isn't this community up in arms over the promotion of ignorance by this teacher?

The students are raising all the money for the trip themselves. Not one penny your taxdollars is being spent.

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Guest Lincoln Logger
I started this topic because it appears that Mr. Paszkiewicz is still pushing his agenda. However, if the taxpayers are not funding this, then I completely agree with you.

Even so, it's very troubling that one of our teachers has taken a strong public position that is completely antithetical to one of the school's most fundamental educational missions: a sound education in science. A trip to a strip club for the 18-year-olds would meet all of your criteria, too, but I find it hard to believe the community wouldn't be up in arms over it. Why isn't this community up in arms over the promotion of ignorance by this teacher?

I remember reading back that Paul said he never signs in anonymously yet as this guest posted, he started this topic and yet it was started by Paul. So he comes on here as guest to incite people and then tries to justify it as "Paul". Good luck Charlie Brown or whoever you say you are today.

To answer your questions about why you again find things difficult to understand is because of your own self-hated toward this person. And you will come back with some long-winded reply on how you are not, but the bottom line is that while he might not be doing what you like, he is doing something for the students in the school who want to learn and keeping them out of places they better not frequent, like the strip clubs you do. There is no ignorance just pure vile in your writings that spews your own hated out.

And I didn’t even have to make a mini-series of posts out of it. So you keep thinking what a great job you are doing for this town and let the people of this town do what they think is right. It’s funny how you couldn’t wait to get junior out of this town, never mind this state.

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Guest 2smart4u
No, you've just made the same aggravating comment that people make when they don't understand science. Of course there are "missing links" in science. The whole point of science is to continue discovering new things. Science has advanced us in the understanding of biological life tremendously, and continues to do so.

Meanwhile, throughout its thousands of years of existence, theology has made no advances in this field whatsoever. Theology doesn't have "missing links" in this field; it has nothing, except statements that people either accept on faith or not.

A phony argument. There are no "advances" to be made in theology. Theology is what it is. On the other hand, while evolution is an indisputable fact, there's no evidence that evolution is not part of God's plan, just as there is no evidence that evolution is part of God's plan. Christians believe God and evolution are not mutually exclusive, atheists insist all life can be traced to a coming-together of amino acids in some kind of soup.

Unless science can establish, prove or duplicate a spontaneous generation of life, atheists have nothing but their own misguided prejudices.

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Guest wondering

Are you a Kearny resident? If so, how long have you lived here? and where were you two years ago?

Paul,

Why is Mr. Paskewicz still working? I know you've been over this a million times on these boards, but I've been wondering if there is something more we could do as a community to stop him from continuing his religious crusade INSIDE OUR OWN PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. It makes me sick to see his face on the cover of local newspapers (as awful as those newspapers are), promoting his "book" (ROFL). He is taunting US, Paul. He thinks he has won a battle against those of us who believe in well established scientific fact! And he has. He's still fighting a war, though. Why shouldn't we? Why has this thing died down? EVERYBODY, THIS MAN DID NOT GET FIRED! THIS DOESN'T BLOW YOUR MIND? And now the Alpha and Omega club? A trip to a creationism museum?

What can we do, Paul? Do I go to a BOE meeting? Where do I begin? I know people who are even more passionate myself about these issues and they're so ready to do whatever it takes. I'm willing to look as stupid as some Christian fundamentalist and picket KHS. I'll do ANYTHING within my legal rights. So, you're the expert on those, what can I do? What can my community do?

Thank you,

Kyle

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Guest Guest
I remember reading back that Paul said he never signs in anonymously yet as this guest posted, he started this topic and yet it was started by Paul. So he comes on here as guest to incite people and then tries to justify it as "Paul". Good luck Charlie Brown or whoever you say you are today.

To answer your questions about why you again find things difficult to understand is because of your own self-hated toward this person. And you will come back with some long-winded reply on how you are not, but the bottom line is that while he might not be doing what you like, he is doing something for the students in the school who want to learn and keeping them out of places they better not frequent, like the strip clubs you do. There is no ignorance just pure vile in your writings that spews your own hated out.

And I didn’t even have to make a mini-series of posts out of it. So you keep thinking what a great job you are doing for this town and let the people of this town do what they think is right. It’s funny how you couldn’t wait to get junior out of this town, never mind this state.

First off, Paul is not the issue. He made a mistake by posting as Guest, which he corrected.

Paszkiewicz is the issue. Telling students that dinosaurs and people lived at the same time, like in the Flintstones, is not education. It's the exact opposite of education.

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Guest kyle
Are you a Kearny resident? If so, how long have you lived here? and where were you two years ago?

I'm not sure what you're going for here. Are you trying to say that my post willfully ignores the fact that this was a long and drawn out issue in Kearny for months? I realize this was the case, but to what end? The final verdict on this issue was an embarrassment for our community. Instead of firing Paskewicz the second he LIED about what he had said in class (proving he knew he had done something wrong), which any other school district would have done, the BOE made a new rule outlawing recording devices in the classroom! Unbelievable. There shouldn't be any second chances for people like David. And if you don't agree with that, consider how he could not even fess up to his inappropriate actions.

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Guest Kyle

To those of you who believe in God:

The irony in the "David Paskewicz Saga" is pretty clear, but let me just break it down again for those of you who have forgotten. As evidenced by "the tapes," Mr. P is puts forth a Christian agenda in his history lectures. Check. According to multiple religious faiths, almost all of them I'd assume (but definitely Christianity), lying is considered "wrong." Check. "Lying is wrong" is a social norm. Check. Mr. P is a liar. Wha? Okay. How much can one care about his religion if he's willing to disobey one of its most fundamental laws? And if his relgious preaching are a manifestation of his political views (usually the other way around I think), why bother? Why not just preach your politics? Why bother walking this dangerous path? Why? Is it because he is an arrogant ego-maniac who just loves to push the envelope? Is it because he is one of those "found-God" types, who just substitutes religion for another vice(s), overdoses by preaching and can't stand up for it when he's confronted? Anyway you look at it, as much as David would claim to be a man of God, he is a worse sinner than most of us. In a state of panic, he knowingly attempted to undermine the credibility (and future credibility) of a teenager. Whatever state he was in, this proves David is definitely is not closer to God than myself or you.

So here is my suggestion: Drop it! You failed, David. Your mission has been foiled... by YOU! You, sir, lack credibility. You're are in no place to lead people spiritually (or in any other matters, for you are a COWARD [see above: where you try to throw a child under the bus]). You are so far from the God you claim to know so well that you just might be in hell.

I'm an atheist. Yes. But I do respect the religious community at large and would like you to know that this message has never been an attack on your beliefs. The above was stated so you know that David Paskewicz is not your kin. He is not preaching the word of God. He is preaching the word of David. This is not an issue of your God. Your God does not stand behind David, and, contrary to what he may think, David does not stand in front of your God. He stands between your child and a good education.

-Kyle

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Guest JesusLives
I started this topic because it appears that Mr. Paszkiewicz is still pushing his agenda. However, if the taxpayers are not funding this, then I completely agree with you.

Even so, it's very troubling that one of our teachers has taken a strong public position that is completely antithetical to one of the school's most fundamental educational missions: a sound education in science. A trip to a strip club for the 18-year-olds would meet all of your criteria, too, but I find it hard to believe the community wouldn't be up in arms over it. Why isn't this community up in arms over the promotion of ignorance by this teacher?

According to you this teacher is ignorant, but I guess those of us, who believe that YOU are the ignorant one here, would simply see that statement as coming from ignorance :lol:

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Guest 2smart4u
I remember reading back that Paul said he never signs in anonymously yet as this guest posted, he started this topic and yet it was started by Paul. So he comes on here as guest to incite people and then tries to justify it as "Paul". Good luck Charlie Brown or whoever you say you are today.

To answer your questions about why you again find things difficult to understand is because of your own self-hated toward this person. And you will come back with some long-winded reply on how you are not, but the bottom line is that while he might not be doing what you like, he is doing something for the students in the school who want to learn and keeping them out of places they better not frequent, like the strip clubs you do. There is no ignorance just pure vile in your writings that spews your own hated out.

And I didn’t even have to make a mini-series of posts out of it. So you keep thinking what a great job you are doing for this town and let the people of this town do what they think is right. It’s funny how you couldn’t wait to get junior out of this town, never mind this state.

I just heard that junior is living in Utah at a religious cult, teaching christianity to the local denizen. It's part of the deprogramming he's going through.

I wish him good luck and God bless.

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Guest Guest
Are you a Kearny resident? If so, how long have you lived here? and where were you two years ago?

It seems that Paul has lived here a while but his poison pen did not develop its point until his son started his father's wishes of going after this teacher. He has always hidden behind this site and never publically did anything about it. If his vengence wasn't so strong, he would have dropped this issue after his son graduated. He just cannot seem to let go.

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