Mom sees other side of Kearny neighbors

defending the First Amendment against the Christian right ...

... because if Jews don't speak out, they'll think we don't mind

Web JewsOnFirst

Optional Member Code

Please email us
(click here)
catcher@JewsOnFirst.org

And "bookmark" us at
JewsOnFirst.org

Jews on First
P.O. Box 33821
Washington DC 20033

310-910-9153

Mom sees other side of Kearny neighbors

By Jarrett Renshaw, The Jersey Journal, February 20, 2007

Debra LaClair has lived in Kearny for nearly two decades, but it wasn't until her teenage son got embroiled in a controversial debate over the separation of church and state that she saw another side of her neighbors.

"A few people on my block have offered words of support, but mostly they don't say anything," said Debra LaClair, mother of 16-year-old Matthew LaClair, who blew the whistle on his history teacher for proselytizing during class.

"I have also seen a lot of messages on local (Internet) message boards, and there has been a lot of vicious, nasty stuff," she added.

LaClair said the nasty comments are not surprising, since Kearny is populated with many Catholics who may side with the teacher, David Paszkiewicz. But she added that the demographics also played a role in how the district handled the situation.

"If the teacher was from another faith, which was not the same as people in town, things would have been much different. He would have been fired or suspended," said LaClair.

Fair Use Statement: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.