Accept Jesus or "You Belong In Hell"

The Star-Ledger
November 15, 2006

David Paszkiewicz, a Kearny (NJ) high school history teacher who is also a Baptist preacher in town, told students that if they didn't accept Jesus, "you belong in hell." He also dismissed as 'unscientific' the theories of evolution and the "Big Bang." Paszkiewicz, a teacher at the high school since 1992, did not return phone messages left for him at the high school.

On Sept. 14 - the fourth day of class - Paszkiewicz is on tape saying, "He (God) did everything in his power to make sure that you could go to heaven, so much so that he took your sin on his own body, suffered your pains for you and he's saying, 'Please accept me, believe me.'"

He adds, according to the tapes: "If you reject that, you belong in hell. The outcome is your prerogative. But the way I see it, God himself sent his only son to die for David Paszkiewicz on that cross ... And if you reject that, then it really is to hell with you." He also told his class that dinosaurs were on Noah's ark.

Principal Al Somma declined to comment. Superintendent Robert Mooney, who called Paszkiewicz "a wonderful teacher," said he was aware of the issues raised by a student, Matthew LaClair - and recordings made by LaClair - and that "corrective action" would be taken. He refused to elaborate.