uncleugene

Matthew, I am a retired high school biology teacher from a small town in California. I want to let you know that you did exactly the correct thing by reporting that your history teacher was making comments about his religion that were more like preaching than just stating his views. Teachers need to be vary careful in the way they state things. They should make it clear when they are stating proven facts and making statements of belief. I personally accept the facts that provide much evidence to support the theory of evolution but I tell my students they are free to believe what they want.... but they need to pass my tests by showing they know the facts I have taught them. There are so much supporting evidence for the Big Bang Theory and the Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection that it hard to understand why people still do not accept them. Your teacher does have the right to believe what he feels is right but he has no right to force his religious beliefs on his students. I can understand why you were not at all happy about what he was saying. I feel badly that you are taking so much abuse from people around you. You do not deserve that at all. You should be commended for your courage to stand up and express your thoughts. I commend you for your courage. People should be supporting your right of free speech more than you teacher’s. I support you 100%. Gene Field Patterson, CA

As a high school teacher I am well aware of the distinction between personal opinion and presentation of factual information. A teacher’s responsibility is to present facts and not personal opinion. There is no doubt that Mr. Paszkiewicz was stating his personal opinion about religion and the conclusion of scientists. Freedom of speech does not mean the right to subject students to one’s personal views. It is not appropriate in a public school classroom to proselytize to one’s students. Even though I personally accept the facts that support the Big Bang Theory and Evolution by the process of natural selection I do not try to influence my student’s beliefs. It is their right to accept the facts I present or reject them. The appropriate thing is to expose the students to the facts and then allow them to make the decision to accept these facts or not. Mr. Paszkiewicz was not stating facts he was telling his students what he believes and that he was right and there was no possibility that other ideas were correct. I commend the student who was willing to come forward and defend his right to not be forced to listen to a teacher’s religious beliefs in a public school setting. I have no problem with the teacher’s beliefs only the fact that he was forcing his students to listen to them without stating clearly that this was his personal opinion. Gene Field Patterson CA