Times are changing about what is acceptable to discuss in a public school setting. Teachers used to know that they had to stay away from religious subjects or they would get into serious trouble and probably even be fired.
In an article in the New York Times, it seems that a student is the one who has found himself in the middle of a controvery about what teachings about religion are acceptable in public school. Mr. Paszkiewicz, a teacher in an advanced 11th grade class in Kearny High School, was taped by a student who felt that the subject matter was not appropriate in the public classroom setting. As reported by nytimes.com in an article called, "Talk in Class Turns to God, Setting Of Public Debate on Rights",
Shortly after school began in September, the teacher told his sixth-period students at Kearny High School that evolution and the Big Bang were not scientific, that dinosaurs were aboard Noah's ark.
"If you reject his gift of salvation, then you know where you belong," Mr. Paszkiewicz was recorded saying of Jesus. "He did everything in his power to make sure that you could go to heaven, so much so that he took your sins on his own body, suffered your pains for you, and he's saying, "Please, accept me, believe." If you reject that, you belong in hell."
Both the teacher and the student have their share of supporters. The teacher is considered an excellent teacher, and many in the community feel that the student tricked the teacher and is in the wrong. This is a very controversial issue with people lining up on both sides.