What's the Matter With Kearny?

I love the smell of ignorance (0.00 / 0)

in the morning. It smells like-------crucifiction.
He should be made to convert to Judism, with all the trimmings, if you get my drift. 

Restore democracy and the Constitution for which it stands.

---

by: The Wizard @ Tue Nov 14, 2006 at 06:56:24 AM CST

This is why people have to pay attention. (0.00 / 0)

The professed aim of the religious right is to stack teaching positions and school boards with its adherents. This is no secret. They are quite open about these aims. This is also why they tend to rail at length about "activist judges", since they often run afoul of the courts when they do. They want to remove those judges who are unsympathetic to their aims, on a constitutional basis.

There is a direct line from the John Birch Society, through "Christian Identity" theology, to what we know as the right today. Most, if not all of its rhetoric, theology and aims can trace a direct line of provenance from those movements and others of the extreme and intolerant right.

The sad thing is that the present-day adherents to this movement and its philosophies either don't or won't understand the source of so much of what they profess, the radical, racist, sexist and in some cases, violent underpinnings. That said, there ain't a dimes worth of difference in the rhetoric in all of these movements, in spite of what they say.

A little historical study of hard right movement conservatism is recommended for all. Through learning the history, one can learn ways to counter and re-frame arguments.

One more thing: If the teacher bore false witness about what he did, what else did he bear false witness about? Just sayin'...


The nom de plume has a long and distinguished history.

---

by: Tandalayo Scheisskopf @ Tue Nov 14, 2006 at 07:56:29 AM CST

interesting (0.00 / 0)

Wally Edge notes that only 3 out of 454 voting districts in Hudson County voted for Kean Jr over Menendez. They were all in Kearny.

---

by: Juan Melli @ Tue Nov 14, 2006 at 08:08:51 AM CST

fwiw (0.00 / 0)

Much of Kearny is in Rothman's district (NJ-09).

Menendez might still have carried evey voting district in NJ-13.

---

by: Scott Weingart @ Tue Nov 14, 2006 at 09:19:16 AM CST

[ Parent ]

I'm so ashamed. (0.00 / 0)

The local Kearny Observer comes out tomorrow.  I will report back tomorrow AM with what (if anything) they have.  If they have nothing, I promise they will in the Letters to the editor this coming week.

Due to the Kearny BoE, and their recent antics, I already plan on being at the next meeting (November 20th) anyway, so I will be able to give a blow by blow account.

As for Menendez, I think Kean benefitted from frustration in Kearny.  The GOP has not been able to put up a worthwhile candidate since at least 2000, and the current administration has run unopposed (from the GOP, there have been some independent candidates) the past couple of elections, and I think some people in Kearny are growing a bit tired of the current administration. (The current tax dilema in Kearny may very well wind up with the municipality eating up the entire 20% credit that is currently being pondered at the State.  If that happens, it will be very difficult to avoid Kearny turning purple, if not red).

I can (thankfully) claim to be in the Third Ward, which did in fact go for Menendez.

---

by: JayMonster @ Tue Nov 14, 2006 at 08:53:23 AM CST

You in Rothman's district or NJ-13? n/t (0.00 / 0)

---

by: Scott Weingart @ Tue Nov 14, 2006 at 09:20:08 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Kearny 3rd District = NJ-9 (0.00 / 0)

I am in Rothman's District.

---

by: JayMonster @ Tue Nov 14, 2006 at 10:18:38 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Paging Fox News, paging Fox News (0.00 / 0)

Boy, wingnut web sites like Newsmax will have a field day with this if the teacher is fired.

---

by: thecontrarian @ Tue Nov 14, 2006 at 09:17:19 AM CST

Fotunately... (0.00 / 0)

They have his indignation and abuse to students (verbal) to fall back on, as justification to fire him, regardless of the stupidity that brought it up in the first place. (at least I think so).

---

by: JayMonster @ Tue Nov 14, 2006 at 10:20:37 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Fundamentalism in education (0.00 / 0)

When our son was a student at Plainfield High School in the late 1980s, his biology teacher refused to teach evolution because he "didn't believe in it."  He did not, however, promote any other view--he simply ignored the entire subject, and he didn't tell any of the students they would go to hell if they didn't agree with him.  My son took it upon himself to set his classmates straight--and that teacher, thankfully, didn't get tenure and is long gone.  (It's not the Kearney guy, incidentally.)

People often complain that "it's impossible to get rid of a tenured teacher," but that simply isn't true--the fact is that due process protections for tenured teachers and many other school employees are provided by state law.  This protects them from having to campaign for local politicians, for example, although there have had to be court cases on that.  The kind of thing described in Kearney, if accurate, constitutes the kind of professional misconduct that could (and should) get someone fired for superimposing his personal views on the subject-matter, ignoring the curriculum standards, and attacking students.  I don't blame him for wanting his union rep, though--he's in deep doo-doo!

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."  (Teddy Roosevelt)

---

by: DottieG @ Tue Nov 14, 2006 at 10:43:12 AM CST

Kearny is hardly a hotbed of fundamentalism (0.00 / 0)

In fact, in Kearny you're rather more likely to smack a Democratic-votin' Catholic in Kearny than a Shi'ite Babtist with your methaphorical dead cat.

Kearny is traditionally Scotch and Irish -- something like half of the last US Olympic soccer team hailed from there.

Doubtlessly the demographics are changing to a more Latino flavor, many of whom are members of fundamentalist sects, but overall, it's still a Catholic town and the MHRC&AC officially supports evolution - ever since that Galileo thing, the popes have stayed out of the sciences (with that one nagging exception regarding the 'beginning of / end of life ' - oh, yeah, and homosexuality being a disorder).

I doubt this teracher will be leaving much more than smoke, he'll be gone so fast ...

---

by: denniscmcgrath @ Tue Nov 14, 2006 at 11:53:43 AM CST

I hope you are right... (0.00 / 0)

... about how fast he will be gone.  The school board of this town though has mor than once given me reason to shake my head, write letters to the local paper etc.

The Superintendant has in the past 6 months, shoved uniforms down the communities throat, allowed a school custodian to remain on the job after being arrested for drugs (right up through his second arrest), and is now attempting to push through an "emergency spending" bond of $12 million dollars to repair loose bricks on the facade of several schools (that is an awful lot of cement don't you think).

He cares very little (some would say he doesn't care at all) about public opinion, so to say the least... I am leery.

But we shall see.

---

by: JayMonster @ Tue Nov 14, 2006 at 12:38:50 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Mayor Al Santos (0.00 / 0)

I predict Al will be FURIOUS and make sure this person is shown the door.

Also, and not to be a jerk, but Latinos are overwhelmingly Catholics--although they may vote conservatively.

---

by: M. Sullivan @ Tue Nov 14, 2006 at 12:57:40 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Au contraire, mon frere! Latinos are NOT overwhelmingly Catholic! (0.00 / 0)

You're not being a jerk, just misinformed. The Catholic hold on Latinos has slackened as evangelical churches have successfully proselytized both in Latin America and here in the US. The following quote is from RELIGION AND LATINO PARTISANSHIP IN THE UNITED STATES, by Nathan J. Kelly, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York Department of Political Science, and Jana Morgan Kelly, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Department of Political Science published in 2002 using data from 1990-2000 election studies. The complete article can be found here:

http://www.unc.edu/%...

... the stereotype that the Latino population is overwhelmingly and immutably Catholic is inaccurate and misleading. While scholars of American religion have become aware of declining attachment to Catholicism among Latinos (Greeley 1994), political scientists have paid little attention to this phenomenon. Previous studies suggest that approximately three-quarters of Latinos were affiliated with the Catholic Church during the 1980s, declining from over 80% in earlier decades (Greeley 1994; Hunt 1998). Table 1A indicates a further decline in Latino affiliation with the Catholic Church, with 44 percent of Latinos identifying as non-Catholics during the 1990s. While non-Catholic Latinos are mostly evangelical Protestants, our data indicate that an appreciable percentage are either mainline Protestant or have no religious affiliation. Clearly, religion is not a constant factor among Latinos. The remaining gap between Latinos and the rest of the population raises the possibility of further shifts away from Catholicism.

---

by: denniscmcgrath @ Tue Nov 14, 2006 at 19:26:47 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Update: Sort of (0.00 / 0)

Well, I got a hold of the Editor of The Observer.  He informed me that the story would not be out until the November 22nd issue.  (Next weeks edition).  Obviously, in order to not get scooped on his own story, details were not forthcoming.

There is of course still the possibility that it will be in Kearny Journal (the "other" weekly, published by the Star Ledger), but I have not yet been able to get a hold of the reporter that handles the Kearny beat.

More details as I find them.

---

by: JayMonster @ Tue Nov 14, 2006 at 18:57:55 PM CST

Update 2: Reported by Star Ledger (0.00 / 0)

Well, the local paper may not have it yet, but it did make the New Jersey section of the Star Ledger today, and the front page of their website (http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1163573821277990.xml&coll=3)

Unfortunately, in this story, was just what I feared most from a do nothing (but spend) school board. 

  But Superintendent of Schools Robert Mooney, who called Paszkiewicz "a wonderful teacher," said he was aware of the issues raised by LaClair - and the recordings - and said "corrective action" would be taken. But he refused to say what the "corrective action" would consist of or when it would take place.

As of yesterday, Paszkiewicz hasn't been disciplined in any way and continues to teach his class, Mooney said.

It was enlightening to find out that this story dates back to September, and that the meeting with school officials took place October 10th, but as of yesterday, this teacher was still in class.

Another thing that troubles me with this is when Mooney goes on to say:

In fact, LaClair says he's still in the class and that he's received good grades so far this year.

As if THAT makes it all OK.  I am not surprise that the student is passing.  What, is Paszkiewicz going to fail the kid in revenge?  Certainly not with everyone looking.

Supt. Robert Mooney's statement was that "corrective action" would be taken.  First of all, the only correct action in this case is termination of the teacher.  Second of all, why is it that this action "will" be taken.  This issue was brought to the school administrations attention more than a month ago.  Why hasn't any action (at least a suspension pending a final decision)?  Why?  Because Superintendant Mooney thinks he is a "wonderful teacher."

This "wonderful teacher" lied to the parents of this kid as well as the administration about what he had said, and it was only after the student provided recorded proof that Paszkiewicz was deemed in need of "corrective action."

I realize that Mooney would rather just sweep this under the rug and have the whole thing go away, but this is NOT a precedent I want set here (or anywhere else).

---

by: JayMonster @ Wed Nov 15, 2006 at 07:47:48 AM CST

Personnel issues (0.00 / 0)

The fastest route for a school administrator to end up in court is to be caught discussing personnel matters in public. I have no idea how halt or lame the Kearny board or principal are, but I think we can safely assume that if they have the cover of personnel issues to hide behind, they will use it.

This alleged teacher has been around for more than a decade, so I again think it's safe to assume he's tenured. Discipling and/or firing him is possible, but a slow and tedious process. The union will back him; essentially, they have no choice. How vigorously they back him will be another matter.

Prediction: Dinosaurboy will work through the end of this year and then disappear. You heard it here first.

---

by: denniscmcgrath @ Wed Nov 15, 2006 at 09:11:30 AM CST

I would accept that if... (0.00 / 0)

... they said, "This is not an issue we can discuss in the Press" or something, anything along those lines. But instead, Supt. Mooney is more than happy to give him the "wonderful teacher" label.

"It is a serious matter.  We are looking into it, but it is not a matter we can discuss at the present time."  Had I seen something along those lines, I wouldn't be ranting about it.

It will be interesting to see how this shakes out.

---

by: JayMonster @ Wed Nov 15, 2006 at 12:14:10 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Dont believe it (0.00 / 0)

I believe this is the most stupidiest thing ever. That kid is just trying to find attetntion for himself. I've had this teacher and he is one of the best teachers. He taught history the way it was and in group discussions he would view both points without no religion remarks. So who ever reads this, don't be ignorants and know the facts first. The kid who claimed this is the type of kid no one likes and wants to drive attention to hiself. I say to the father to drop it because that teacher is loved by many and going against it will cause much problems.

---

by: J.Cora @ Wed Nov 15, 2006 at 17:47:15 PM CST

You are apparently the one missing the facts (0.00 / 0)

Which was pointed out to you, on the other thread where you posted this message.

There is an audio tape of the lesson.  While the "adults in the room" were ready like you to dismiss this kid, he had the evidence, and the teachers response shows exactly how wrong he knew he was.

---

by: JayMonster @ Wed Nov 15, 2006 at 20:53:04 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Update 3: Follow up article on proselytizing Teacher (0.00 / 0)

The latest article on the situation in Kearny primarily focuses on how the student is now having to deal with blowback from other students for his part in this story.

What gets lost in the middle however is what I feared most reading this story from the beginning about the Kearny BoE.

Superintendent of Schools Robert Mooney and Kearny High School Principal Alfred Somma defended him as an outstanding teacher and said "corrective action" - which they didn't define - had already been taken against him. Further action might be taken if necessary, they said.

"I think he (Paszkiewicz) was trying to have a high-level discussion with his students," Mooney added. "Right now he has to be very careful. But I also don't want in the long run for him to throttle down the level of discussion based on this issue."

Mooney said Paszkiewicz made his comments in the context of discussions about the effect religion had on the shaping of America.

First of all what "corrective action" took place in the one days between article? (OK, lets say two days, considering the reporter had to write it the day before it hit the paper).  What did he promise "not to do it again"?  He already lied about it proving he is not a "man of his word"

Second, how does... how do I put this politely... rewriting history to put dinosaurs on Noah's Ark fit the so-called "context" of the effect religion had on the shaping of America? 

Is the BoE attempting to just let this "blow over"?  The BoE next meets Monday evening.  I will report back after that.

---

by: JayMonster @ Fri Nov 17, 2006 at 12:51:06 PM CST