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A message of support for Matthew LaClair


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Guest Mark Harris

Matthew,

Do not let the negative responses dampen your patriotism, and a patriot you are. It is always a lonely position when one takes the critical view as I learned myself back in high school. Have faith, the truth of conviction always wins out and deeds always speak louder than words.

Always question and always stand up for what you believe to be right, but never close your mind to another's ideas. If they are sound, then they will be true. If not, you will know it.

Thank you for your courageous stand, I know it took a lot of courage to make this stand.

Good for you.

Mark Harris LMT

Long Island, NY

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Guest A Canadian Student

Just wanted to say it's great to see someone in a position as difficult as yours willing to stand up and point out that there's something wrong with teachers abusing their power and betraying the public trust by pushing their religious views onto students.

Keep fighting the good fight!

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Hey Matthew,

I'd like you to know that a lot of people here (including me) who heard about you, really appreciate that you exposed this "teacher" abusing his position of authority.

It's been the only right thing!

Best wishes and regards from germany,

Corn

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Guest Inoculated Mind

Good job. It takes real guts to stand up for what it is right, and real brains to gather concrete evidence to do so. Don't let the criticisms get to you - some people want to live with their lies, and you've got to let them know that they have to live with your desire for truth. And they sat there complicitly and said not a word.

“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” -- Edmund Burke

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Guest Wally Whateley

Thanks, Matt. You did the right thing. In the end, you'll be the guy smelling like roses, and the critics who end up looking like the America-hating buffoons they truly are.

I predict much success in your future. Good luck to you, and keep your chin up.

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Guest Teacher of Science

You are a brave young man who has pointed out inappropriate behavior. As a science teacher it is my job to lead students to understand the curriculum and to build a body of knowledge in my discipline. Were I to start injecting my opinions about any of the topics I teach it would be inappropriate. This teacher had no business making the statements he made. The union may support him in a way that ensures he is treated according to his contract but as I have read in the NYTimes article he has not continued this practice. That is what must happen.

He was absolutely wrong in his statements. Also if he makes you feel uncomfortable at all or grades you in a manner that is different than he grades others then he is also wrong. Watch that carefully. He should make sure that in his class no other students make any kind of derogatory statement to you or about you.

Keep your principles and know you have support from far away.

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You've got my support 100% Matthew! As a history major, your teacher should be utterly ashamed of himself. He is the sort that proliferates revisionist history to make their position look better. History is the recording of events in their UNTOUCHED TRUTH or did your teacher forget Herotodus?

Matt, way to stick to your guns and not be a lemming!

BTW, Darwin is 100% correct. Evolution is a fact and has been proven again and again.

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Guest kathryne

Well done Matthew! You're doing a tough thing, but I'm so, so impressed by your drive to stand up for your beliefs. Congratulations. That strength is worth the crap you're getting from the bullheaded idiots. Keep on truckin'.

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Guest Steve_C

Hey Matt,

I listened to your tapes from class, I thought your attempts to give another viewpoint were great.

But the teacher is too deluded by his beliefs to promote science or an understanding of it. It's funny

how he turned a discussion of populism into a refutation of core scientific principals, rather than the modern myths of religion and culture.

And then he tried to lie about it. That alone should get him suspended. I don't think he can be trusted. As he even apologized?

Keep up the good fight. Well done.

Steve from Manhattan by way of http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/

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Matthew, please know that there are so many of us out here pulling for you. I know this must be such a difficult situation to be in but you are fighting the good fight, and for that I thank you wholeheartedly. I wish nothing but the best for you.

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Guest Unregistered

Matthew --

Bravo not only for exposing the "science" teacher's illegal and outrageous behavior in the classroom, but for standing up to the criticism you've received from your peers and community over this issue.

You did the right thing, and even though the school district probably won't do the same by firing this guy, I hope you've made his classroom environment less toxic for future students. Would that there were more students in the country like you. With conviction and an ethical compass like yours, you will go far in this world -- and change it for the better.

Best of luck,

Deborah S.

Philadelphia

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Guest jcarterwood

Greetings from Germany and well done, Matt! I can all-too-well imagine the difficulties you're facing at your school. I hope that the messages of support on this message board give you some idea of the many people out there who appreciate your action. Even more importantly, though, I hope you've got some supportive friends in your school and town. And I hope they have the courage to stand up for you too. Stay strong.

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I don't have anything to add that hasn't already been written so eloquently by previous posters, but just wanted to offer my support. It takes a lot of courage to speak out against authority - particularly in high school where your peers tend to 'group think' and may collectively ostracize you for your beliefs. I applaud you, and thank you for fighting to uphold our US Constitution.

- Susan from MO

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Guest Steve LaBonne

I hope and trust that Matthew's parents are very proud of him. I know that I would be if he were my son.

Even conservative legal foundations have indicated that it would be very difficult to defend that teacher if action were justly taken against him for his totally out-of-line performance. So where is the district administration? They should be deeply ashamed as "adults", and supposed role models, that one of their students has displayed far more brains and guts than they have.

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Guest Godless Heathen
I am an evangelical pastor who adamantly believes an inviolable separation of church and state must be sustained against all intrusions. The use of a state-funded forum to evince matters of faith is a crass misrepresentation of what Christ preached.

Christ did not use his "authority" to change people's minds, but rather went to the poor and fed them, to the sick and healed them, and to the authorities to challenge their abuse of power. Our witness is not in our words, but in the strength of our love. Christ is not about public proclomations of righteousness (self or otherwise).

Whatever Matthew's beliefs, he was right to challenge this teacher's gross public offenses.

Thank you! It is heartening to see Christians who understand why we have separation of church and state. It's in everyone's best interest, and that includes Christians as well as those of other religious beliefs and atheists.

This is why I used "Christians" in my original post. I don't believe the people who are sending Matthew hate mail and death threats are actually CHRISTIANS. I think they are mentally disturbed people who are using the guise of religion to validate their psychotic behavior. I'm sure, if pressed, they could probably twist a few verses of the Bible to support their warped views and claim it's a unique and special vision of Christ's Love.

Sincerely,

Godless Heathen

Selfish Heathens - a board for childfree atheists and agnostics

Technical Adminstrator

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Guest AJ Christian

Don't let all the detractors get you down, Matthew. Half of them are un-American bigots who think schools exist solely to provide a pulpit for their backwards religious beliefs, and the other half are cowards who are just going along with the crowd.

Man, I would've loved to see the look on the teacher's face when you whipped out the audio recordings! B)

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Guest Billy Carson

Adding a "me too" from rural Missouri. Your dedication to principle is inspiring.

What the "teacher" was doing amounts to psychological abuse. Bravo to you for refusing to accept it.

And shame on your school's administration for turning their public facility into Bible camp.

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Congratulations. I hope that you will always have the courage to stand up for what is right. This teacher should be fired because he was not doing his job. I am currently in the process of becoming a teacher and it seems obvious that it is not appropriate to push our beliefs in the classroom. We have even been instructed on how to respond to questions about our political beliefs or other touchy subjects. So, keep standing up for your rights and remember that soon you will be able to leave and go somewhere else where people will appreciate you. Good luck.

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