Dr. Corey A. DeAngelis has made a name for himself as an advocate for education freedom, but he's been the focus over the past week of media stories surrounding decade-old appearances in adult films. DeAngelis, who was reportedly fired by the American Federation for Children (AFC) after the videos came to light, sat down with CBN News to discuss these stories, claims from activists that his past makes him a hypocrite, and more.

Despite furor and negative messaging, DeAngelis said public support "has been overwhelming." "There are images and videos circulating of me from my college days about a decade ago that I'm not proud of," he said. "They're embarrassing." DeAngelis described being lured into pornographic work as a young adult and pondered how much more pervasive such content can be when introduced to younger kids. 

"If I was able to be lured in to make bad decisions as a young adult in college, just imagine how much worse it could be for younger people," he said, explaining how the experience became fuel in his fight for educational freedom. "So I fought against this kind of material being included in the classroom. I've been consistent. I've changed my life. People change over time." DeAngelis was careful, though, to note that he owns his mistakes, despite reportedly long ago stopping such actions before being further sucked into the adult film industry.

"I was an adult," he said. "I did make those decisions. I'm not proud of those decisions, but I can see how it can be deceptive, and the entire industry can be deceptive, especially for young people." Considering DeAngelis' public-facing work and success advocating for school choice, these videos and images, intended for gay audiences, have led progressive advocates to mobilize against DeAngelis. "There has been a cancellation attempt from the left, in particular, and my political opponents trying to accuse me of hypocrisy," he said. "Their claims fall flat." 

One of the most compelling ways the dilemma has changed DeAngelis has been in the area of faith. Describing himself as a lifelong agnostic, he said the situation has brought him and his wife, whom he described as a "believer," closer to church. "We're watching our local church on TV each Sunday," DeAngelis said. "And, the first time that we tuned in a couple of weeks ago, just the things that the pastor was saying — it just brought me to tears."