JStandish

It is commendable that you had the courage to oppose your teacher's proselytizing in class. Mr. Paszkiewicz's statements, "If you reject his gift of salvation, then you know where you belong" and ...that only Christians had a place in heaven, are not only offensive; but they definitely violate the boundary between church and state. How would a Muslim feel in his class? One of the tenets of Christianity is acceptance of those who have different beliefs. Mr. Paszkiewicz can freely express his religious ideology in church and lecture halls, but school is not an appropriate venue. The breathtaking ignorance and viciousness of the people who are vilifying you is extremely disturbing. This behavior is regressive. Remember the Salem witch trials, the crusades? Christianity can certainly be brutal. Apparently these people have forgotten that one of our rights is freedom of religion. Demonizing those of another faith in a public school setting is abridging this freedom. This country needs more people like you who has the strength of his own belief system and has the courage to oppose those who trample on your rights.

It is commendable that Matthew LaClair had the courage to oppose his teacher's proselytizing in class. Mr. Paszkiewicz's statements, "If you reject his gift of salvation, then you know where you belong" and ...that only Christians had a place in heaven, are not only offensive; but they definitely violate the boundary between church and state. How would a Muslim feel in his class? One of the tenets of Christianity is acceptance of those who have different beliefs. Mr. Paszkiewicz can freely express his religious ideology in church and lecture halls, but school is not an appropriate venue. The breathtaking ignorance and viciousness of the people who are vilifying this student is extremely disturbing. This behavior is regressive. Remember the Salem witch trials, the crusades? Christianity can certainly be brutal. Apparently these people have forgotten that one of our rights is freedom of religion. Demonizing those of another faith in a public school setting is abridging this freedom. This country needs more people like Matthew LaClair who has the strength of his own belief system and to oppose those who trample on his rights.

It is commendable that Matthew LaClair had the courage to oppose his teacher's proselytizing in class. Mr. Paszkiewicz's statements, "If you reject his gift of salvation, then you know where you belong" and ...that only Christians had a place in heaven, are not only offensive; but they definitely violate the boundary between church and state. How would a Muslim feel in his class? One of the tenets of Christianity is acceptance of those who have different beliefs. Mr. Paszkiewicz can freely express his religious ideology in church and lecture halls, but school is not an appropriate venue. The breathtaking ignorance and viciousness of the people who are vilifying this student is extremely disturbing. This behavior is regressive. Remember the Salem witch trials, the crusades? Christianity can certainly be brutal. Apparently these people have forgotten that one of our rights is freedom of religion. Demonizing those of another faith in a public school setting is abridging this freedom. This country needs more people like Matthew LaClair who has the strength of his own belief system and to oppose those who trample on his rights.