Teacher accused of burning cross on student's arm

[MedicCook]

Teacher accused of burning cross on student's arm

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/US/06/20/teacher.cross/art.crossonarm.ap.jpg

(CNN) -- School administrators in Ohio voted Friday to begin the process of firing a middle school teacher accused of burning a cross into a student's arm and refusing to keep his religious beliefs out of the classroom.

The Mount Vernon School Board passed a resolution to terminate the employment of John Freshwater, an eighth-grade science teacher for the past 21 years.

Freshwater, according to an independent report, used an electrostatic device to mark a cross on the arm of one of his students, causing pain to the student the night of the incident and leaving a mark that lasted for approximately 3 weeks.

According to the Ohio Department of Education, the student's family has filed a lawsuit.

Freshwater was also reprimanded several times for refusing to move his Bible from his classroom desk and teaching creationism alongside evolution, according to the 15-page independent report. The report also cites evidence that Mr. Freshwater told his students that "science is wrong because the Bible states that homosexuality is a sin and so anyone who is gay chooses to be gay and is therefore a sinner."

The Board of Education of the Mount Vernon City School District met in special session Friday to address the case.

Freshwater has the option to contest the process by requesting a formal hearing before the Board of Education. Neither Freshwater nor his attorney could be reached by CNN for comment.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/06/20/teacher.cross/index.html

[Thomas the Solitary]

This guy should have been kept out of the Science Classroom back 21 years ago.

The bible is not a work of science. Even some of the harder core bible thumpers (fundamentalists) don't believe SOME of the literal words of the bible, taken literally. I can't think of any off the top of my head, though, that would illustrate my comment.

He's lucky this wasn't my son. He'd have at least a broken nose. (at least, that's what I think now, as I have no children.)

It is however very embarrassing some of the things the fundies *do* take literally.

To the point of saying carbon dating is wrong. That kind of thing sprains my brain.

[MedicCook]

I would have made him put his belief in his little god to the test if he did this to one of my kids. The only white light he would be seeing is from me when I wake him up from being unconscious just to continue the beating.

[Thomas the Solitary]

I thought about it for a minute, and I realize that as it wouldn't be nearly as satisfying; but suing the pants off them / him would be much more productive in the long run.

[mb*]

i want to know what happened. were there other kids in the room?

what could have possibly happened to make him compelled to do such a thing? just say "fuck it, this is so worth my job and reputation".

not that it matters, it's fucked up regardless. i just wanna know.

[MedicCook]

He probably was not thinking with anything but his bible.

[Thomas the Solitary]

Ohio board votes to ax teacher accused of branding

By DOUG WHITEMAN, Associated Press WriterFri Jun 20, 7:51 PM ET

The school board of a small central Ohio community voted unanimously Friday to fire a teacher accused of preaching his Christian beliefs despite staff complaints and using a device to burn the image of a cross on students' arms.

School board members voted 5-0 to fire Mount Vernon Middle School science teacher John Freshwater. Board attorney David Millstone said Freshwater is entitled to a hearing to challenge the dismissal.

Freshwater denies wrongdoing and will request such a hearing, the teacher's attorney, Kelly Hamilton, told the Mount Vernon News.
School board members met a day after the consulting firm H.R. On Call Inc. released its report on the teacher's case.

The report came a week after a family filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Columbus against Freshwater and the school district, saying Freshwater burned a cross on a child's arm that remained for three or four weeks.
Freshwater's friend Dave Daubenmire defended him.

"With the exception of the cross-burning episode. ... I believe John Freshwater is teaching the values of the parents in the Mount Vernon school district," he told The Columbus Dispatch for a story published Friday.

Several students interviewed by investigators described Freshwater, who has been employed by the school district located 40 miles northeast of Columbus for 21 years, as a great guy and their favorite teacher.
But Lynda Weston, the district's director of teaching and learning, told investigators that she has dealt with complaints about Freshwater for much of her 11-year term at the district, the report said.
A former superintendent, Jeff Maley, said he tried to find another position for Freshwater but couldn't because he was certified only in science, the report said.

Freshwater used a science tool known as a high-frequency generator to burn images of a cross on students' arms in December, the report said. Freshwater told investigators he simply was trying to demonstrate the device on several students and described the images as an "X," not a cross. But pictures show a cross, the report said.

Other findings show that Freshwater taught that carbon dating was unreliable to argue against evolution.

[MedicCook]

"With the exception of the cross-burning episode. ... I believe John Freshwater is teaching the values of the parents in the Mount Vernon school district,"

Right there he should be fired immediately, face criminal charges, and be liable for a civil lawsuit, and then have to turn in his teaching license with a lifetime ban on teaching.

[Thomas the Solitary]

Here's a link to a pdf. It's the actual independent investigative report.


http://www.dispatch.com/wwwexportcontent/sites/dispatch/local_news/stories/2008/06/19/Freshwater.pdf

[mb*]

ok, that clears it up.

thanks! :happy:

i doubt it was intentional. why would all the kids talk about what a good guy he was if they witnessed him intentionally burn a cross on one of their friends arm?

[Thomas the Solitary]

http://dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/06/19/mtvernon.html?sid=101

A Mount Vernon teacher undermined science instruction in the public school district by discrediting evolution in his classroom and focusing on creationism and intelligent design, a probe has found.

Eighth-graders who were taught by John Freshwater frequently had to be re-taught in high school what they were supposed to have learned in Freshwater’s class, according to outside investigators hired by the district.


For 11 years, other teachers in the school district and people in the community complained about Freshwater preaching his Christian beliefs in class and slamming scientific theories, a school administrator told investigators.


“There is a significant amount of evidence that Mr. Freshwater’s teachings regarding subjects related to evolution were not consistent with the curriculum of the Mount Vernon City Schools and state standards,” the consultants reported.


Freshwater had been told to stop teaching intelligent design and creationism, but he continued, the report found.


HR on Call Inc., the consultants who investigated allegations against Freshwater, released their findings today. Mount Vernon school board members will meet today to discuss the report and decide what, if any, action they will take.


The report confirms that Freshwater burned crosses onto students’ arms, using an electrostatic device, in December. Freshwater told investigators the marks were Xs, not crosses. But all of the students interviewed in the investigation reported being branded with crosses. The investigation report includes a photo of one student’s arm with a long vertical line and a short horizontal line running through it.


The family of one student who was burned filed a federal lawsuit last week against Freshwater and the district, saying the student’s civil rights were violated.


Today, the family’s attorney, Jessica Philemond, said it was unfortunate that the school district didn’t do anything sooner to stop Freshwater.
“These concerns had been going on for at least 11 years and the school had not done anything,” she said.


A teacher who worked in Freshwater’s classroom last year also reported to investigators that Freshwater told his class that homosexuality is a sin.


Neither Freshwater nor his attorney, Roger Weaver, could be reached for comment last night. Freshwater’s friend, Dave Daubenmire, defended him.
“With the exception of the cross-burning episode … I believe John Freshwater is teaching the values of the parents in the Mount Vernon school district,’’ he said.


Daubenmire is a former London High School football coach whose district was sued in 1999 by the American Civil Liberties Union because he led his players in prayer at games, practices and meetings.


“Do you think there are other teachers in the public classroom that are trying to drive their opinions in the classroom?’’ Daubenmire asked. “I don’t care who you are. You cannot separate your value system from your teaching.’’


The debate about Freshwater’s actions became public in April after he refused to remove a Bible from his desk, as the district had ordered.


The report says he was insubordinate for failing to remove the Bible and other religious materials from his classroom but also found other issues about his teaching and behavior.

[MedicCook]

So he accidentally used a device that burned the cross onto this kids arm? I am not buying it.

[mb*]

i'm not saying it's okay to teach religion in a science class, or in public school period, and i'm not saying he shouldn't have lost his job.

all i'm saying is that when i read the 1st article i pictured some maniac bible thumper on a rampage, and from reading the 2nd one i don't think that's the case.

[MedicCook]

He assaulted a student though. It is not like he hurt a kid breaking up a fight between students. He burned a cross onto a kids arm.

[mb*]

i agree that he shouldn't have done anything that would have harmed/marked the kid.

but i don't think it was malicious.

[Thomas the Solitary]

He shouldn't be a science teacher. Period.

I liked the report... "Mr. Freshwater burned a cross into their child’s arm using a science machine that caused pain."

[MedicCook]

I do. Most likely this kid is not someone that agreed with the teachers beliefs and was vocal about it and the teacher wanted to teach him a lesson.

[zanewestwood]

sweet jesus:smiley-WTF: