Thread: Those energetic Christian teachers ...

Ohio science teacher fired for branding student with religious symbol

MT. VERNON, OH (AP) -- An Ohio science teacher accused of burning the image of a cross on students' arms says he's disappointed school officials voted to fire him.
The Mount Vernon school board Monday night accepted a state referee's recommendation to terminate John Freshwater. The Columbus Dispatch reports the firing took effect a few hours later, at midnight.
In an e-mail to The Associated Press on Tuesday, Freshwater registered his unhappiness but did not say if he'd appeal further. He had appealed an earlier move to dismiss him after an internal investigation found he preached Christian beliefs in class. He also was accused of using a scientific device to mark students with a cross and of keeping a Bible on his desk.
The referee last week found "good and just cause" for firing.
Ohio science teacher fired for branding student with religious symbol : Neighborhood : ToledoontheMove.com

Ohio science teacher appeals firing in cross case

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio — An Ohio science teacher accused of burning students' arms with the image of a cross is appealing his firing.

The Mount Vernon school board fired John Freshwater last month, following a state hearing officer's recommendation.
Freshwater was accused of preaching Christian beliefs in class and of using a scientific device to mark students with a cross. The hearing officer said there was a plausible explanation for that but didn't explain further.
The Columbus Dispatch reports the appeal alleges the officer's report was biased and that parts of Freshwater's case violated his legal rights. The appeal says new information has become available since the hearing and Freshwater could present more evidence contradicting the report.
Messages left late Friday for the Mount Vernon school district and Freshwater's lawyer were not immediately returned.
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Information from: The Columbus Dispatch, Central Ohio News, Sports, Arts & Classifieds | The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio science teacher appeals firing in cross case *| ajc.com

How in the hell can anyone justify this? Are these those energetic and enthusiastic Christian teachers you always mention Kmiller when you talk about how your 'rights' are being denied? Would you want your child branded?

Originally Posted by Gypsy

Ohio science teacher fired for branding student with religious symbol

MT. VERNON, OH (AP) -- An Ohio science teacher accused of burning the image of a cross on students' arms says he's disappointed school officials voted to fire him.
The Mount Vernon school board Monday night accepted a state referee's recommendation to terminate John Freshwater. The Columbus Dispatch reports the firing took effect a few hours later, at midnight.
In an e-mail to The Associated Press on Tuesday, Freshwater registered his unhappiness but did not say if he'd appeal further. He had appealed an earlier move to dismiss him after an internal investigation found he preached Christian beliefs in class. He also was accused of using a scientific device to mark students with a cross and of keeping a Bible on his desk.
The referee last week found "good and just cause" for firing.
Ohio science teacher fired for branding student with religious symbol : Neighborhood : ToledoontheMove.com

Ohio science teacher appeals firing in cross case

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio — An Ohio science teacher accused of burning students' arms with the image of a cross is appealing his firing.

The Mount Vernon school board fired John Freshwater last month, following a state hearing officer's recommendation.
Freshwater was accused of preaching Christian beliefs in class and of using a scientific device to mark students with a cross. The hearing officer said there was a plausible explanation for that but didn't explain further.
The Columbus Dispatch reports the appeal alleges the officer's report was biased and that parts of Freshwater's case violated his legal rights. The appeal says new information has become available since the hearing and Freshwater could present more evidence contradicting the report.
Messages left late Friday for the Mount Vernon school district and Freshwater's lawyer were not immediately returned.
___
Information from: The Columbus Dispatch, Central Ohio News, Sports, Arts & Classifieds | The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio science teacher appeals firing in cross case *| ajc.com

How in the hell can anyone justify this? Are these those energetic and enthusiastic Christian teachers you always mention Kmiller when you talk about how your 'rights' are being denied? Would you want your child branded?

I see no mention of whether the student wanted this or not. if it was forced on the student then absolutely not, if it was with the student consent then I would want a say in that consent also. Is it wrong because it was a cross, or is any branding considered wrong? How old are the students he was teaching?

Freshwater never stated he burned anyone or handed out surveys like some papers say because he never changed his testimony. Yes, he kept a Bible on his desk but only one child said he said something about homosexuals and that was not in the classroom. Him and another teacher was talking about an article on the gay gene. One paper said they settled a law suit in 2008 claiming one child said he burned him but no such settlement took place. Other teachers also used Telsa coils in their classrooms in science. That does not mean that the teacher did this to the student nor did they find any evidence to support this alleged crime. All students were allowed to touch the coils and the sparks don’t harm kids. Two kids came out against him and many rallied for him. They are now trying to bring this back up and the school is cowering down. This was middle school science.

Yes, he had a trial in 2008. Only one student alleged he did this to him. No other students witnessed it which I find that hard to believe in middle school in a class of kids. The reason they are bringing it back up is because the school had to pay the kids parents in 2009 because even tho he didn't burn the student he is still accountable and the school is also. In other words the kid said it happened under his watch. That's why he is now being fired.

Mt. Vernon isn't too far from me. We got some really hard core fundies in these parts. They scare me.

Originally Posted by Heel31ok

I see no mention of whether the student wanted this or not. if it was forced on the student then absolutely not, if it was with the student consent then I would want a say in that consent also. Is it wrong because it was a cross, or is any branding considered wrong? How old are the students he was teaching?

It's irrelevent what the student wanted. The teacher was acting as an agent of the school district and thus was performing an activity that was both against the employer's interest and outside the course and scope of his duties. He was acting in a position of authority and abused that authority. He should have been fired.