These are just some of the emotionally-charged questions explored in the provocative new documentary In God We Teach, which received its DC premiere tonight before a packed house at The Newseum as part of the ongoing Religious Freedom Education Project.
A basic synopsis of the story goes like this: Matthew LaClair, then a senior student at Kearney (NJ) High School, was offended by religious remarks made by popular history teacher and crew coach Dave Paskiewicz. LaClair taped the remarks. When school officials refused to act, LaClair and his family went public. The story was widely reported in the local and national news, even prompting a segment by Anderson Cooper on CNN. The issue divided the town, with most residents and students taking Paskiewicz's side. LaClair was ostracized and even received death threats. Finally, after months of controversy, the CYA School Board issue a commendation to LeClair, who is now a college sophomore, for his stand. Paskieiwicz was allowed to continuing teaching.
Following the showing, the director Vic Losick, himself a native of New Jersey, took the floor to discuss the film and take questions from the audience. He was joined by Political Science Professor Emile Lester, the author of the book Teaching about Religion in Public Schools and Charles Haynes, senior scholar at the Freedom Forum First Amendment Center and director of the Newseum's Religious Freedom Education Project.
Losick, acknowledging that religion is a highly divisive issue, said the 1st Amendment clearly specifies students should "be taught about religion, not taught religion" and his film was an attempt to examine what happens when that clear Constitutional line is crossed.
When asked what he thought about the antagonists, Losick responded that as a documentary filmmaker you "try not to think anything" and just capture the story. He did admit that over the months of the filming, despite their very distinct differences, he did become "very fond of (both of) them and their families."
Losick said that the prolonged, stormy controversy did not make Kearney a more tolerant community. "It had no effect," he said. As proof, as least as far as the antagonists were concerned, he cited the films' final scenes which show LaClair attacking Paskiewicz, on a college radio show for a new Constitutional violation and the teacher taking a group of students to a Christian Museum of Creation, which credits intelligent design, not evolution, as the basis for mankind's origin and places dinosaurs with Noah and his ark.
Lester credited Losick for examining the controversial issue with sympathy, not satire and sarcasm.
"Public schools should be concerned with teaching rather than preaching," Lester said. "But you have to recognize the role that religion has played in American history and continues to play today."
Lester said that any teaching of religion should foster tolerance of all faiths, not the predominance of only one. "Tolerance requires virtue but also imagination for those who we disagree with,." Lester said.
Tales, Tidbits, and Traveling Tips:
Employing good-natured humor can often be a wise approach to introducing troubling or controversial material. Professor Lester began his remarks with this: "I am reminded of the Woody Allen quote. 'I believe their is an intelligence to the Universe with the exception of certain parts of New Jersey.' I'm from New York so it's my God-given right to make fun of New Jersey." Losick, for his part, jokingly channeled the tough-guide attitude promulgated by Sopranos mob moss Tony Soprano and the cast of Jersey Shore retorted "Yes I am from New Jersey. You got a problem wit dat."
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