David Paskiewicz

A Harper’s deste mês tem (mais) uma história de arrepiar os cabelos, a ilustrar o ataque dos cristãos à ciencia e à laicidade, ao racionalismo e ao humanismo...

Um pastor fundamentalista, professor de História na Kearny High School em New Jersey, chamado David Paskiewicz, que usa as aulas para evangelizar os alunos. Um dos alunos gravou um diálogo e a coisa acabou nos tribunais.

Na internet pode-se encontrar uma parte dos diálogos, aterrorizantes pela estupidez agressiva do professor, mas o texto da Harper’s é óptimo porque há dois estudantes que fazem frente ao entusiasmo lapuz e agressivo do professor e dos colegas:

STUDENT 1: Isn't the whole point of public school so that you can separate personal beliefs from teachers and administrators from non-... non-religious...you know, non religious teachings during school. Like, school prayer and all that?

David Paskiewicz: No. The purpose of public school is to provide free education for people who couldn't afford education. Seriously. (laugh) That's the purpose of public school. What it's become is social engineering. It's supposed to reflect the values and belief systems of parents as well as school boards elected from the population. And I've gotta believe that most of the people on the school board have faiths that may be similar to mine, but yet the state comes up with some wierd perception of what education ought to be [inaudible].

STUDENT 1: What... what... would decide what... what should be.. what religion should be taught in schools? What would decide that?

David Paskiewicz: No. It's not about teaching...my point is it's not about teaching religion. And, you know, all these issues will come up when we get into the 1920s, and things begin to get legislated, and [inaudible] 1920s. But the public schools shouldn't teach a religion, but the scriptures aren't religion."

STUDENT 1: They're not?

David Paskiewicz: The scriptures are at the foundation of the world's religions... the world's main religions, anyway. Religion is a set way of doing things.

E continua:

David Paskiewicz: ...the Bible. We should be able to bring that into the classroom, read it, and it should be [inaudible]...

STUDENT 1: But what if some students don't believe in the Bible?

STUDENT 2: I don't either [noise from other students in background as well]

David Paskiewicz: That's their prerogative. What if the student doesn't believe in evolution? What if the student doesn't believe in ummm some other aspect of, you know, of the educational program?

STUDENT 1: Well, evolution is scientific.

No fim o professor acaba por explicar que quem não acredita na Bíblia "belongs in Hell." :o)