I just came across this letter from Paul LaClair at the Observer (Kearny's newspaper) editor's blog site, which corrects some misconceptions that have occurred in some of the reporting and commentary on this issue, as well as point out some additional details about Paszkiewicz and the school administrators' response that have not been reported elsewhere, such as:
* After receiving a reprimand on September 25 in response to Matthew LaClair's initial complaint, Paszkiewicz made a statement in class that implied that the student who complained had misrepresented his words. (I.e., he lied.) At this point, Matthew LaClair requested a meeting with administrators and produced the recordings.
* Subsequent to this, the LaClairs have asked for further corrective action, but none has been forthcoming.
* The school's attorney has been evasive and even suggested that the LaClair's go ahead and sue.
The letter is well worth reading in its entirety. You can find it here.
Mr. Lippard, I hope you do not mind that I have linked to your posts about the Paszkiewicz/LaClair issue from my own blog. I feel very strongly about the insidious creep of religion into our schools and law, and being a New Jersey resident formerly from the northeast area, this incident in particular raises my hackles. Thank you for the thorough coverage you've given this, and keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteAlison:
ReplyDeleteYou're more than welcome to link to my posts--I appreciate the support!