Hey, that fundie science teacher that burned crosses on kids' arms? FIRED!

[kay1864]

Board opts to fire teacher
Mount Vernon man to request hearing
Saturday, June 21, 2008 3:12 AM
By Alayna DeMartini

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio -- Supporters of John Freshwater stood in a parking lot yesterday asking God to inspire the school board to make the right decision. Three hours later, the board announced that it intends to fire Freshwater, an eighth-grade science teacher.

Freshwater preached his Christian beliefs about how the world began, discredited evolution and didn't teach the required science curriculum, the board says. He was told to stop teaching creationism and intelligent design, but he continued to do so, an investigation found.

"We're all Christian people. … But rules are rules. You just can't do that in a public school," said Karen McClure, a Mount Vernon resident who was at yesterday's meeting to support her daughter, school board member Jolene Goetzman. McClure was one of about 60 people at the meeting in the Mount Vernon Middle School library. Most were Freshwater supporters.

Freshwater burned crosses onto the arms of some of his students and told them that gays are sinners, the school board said in a resolution the five members passed unanimously yesterday after meeting privately to discuss the results of an investigation.

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/06/21/Freshwater_decision.ART_ART_06-21-08_A1_ABAI539.html?type=rss&cat=&sid=101

Kudos to the board...took them ONE DAY after reading the report to can his creationist ass.

"Supporters of John Freshwater stood in a parking lot yesterday asking God to inspire the school board to make the right decision". Wonder if they agreed with God's decision on this one? :P


Original story: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=3489930

[TygrBright]

1. Looks like God inspired them to make the right decision.

Isn't it nice when prayers get answered?

snarkily,
Bright

[kay1864]

3. Or the supporters just didn't pray *hard enough*

Since it couldn't have been God's fault.

Now go flagellate yourself, supporters. And pray harder next time.

[jgraz]

16. Maybe they should have burned crosses into their arms

Or their eyeballs.

[singilarpoint]

20. That's what I was just about to say!

[roguevalley]

26. most states have ethics codes teachers sign and there are about

four things you can be fired for: insubordination, negligence to duties, criminal behavior and something else. he is guilty of at least two of these from what I've read. they are completely in their rights to fire him, the dork.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. The sad thing is some religious school will probably snap him right up

[kay1864]

5. Well that's where he belongs anyway

However, he might have to do a little jail time in the interim. And then there's that pesky civil lawsuit filed by the parents of the kids he mutilated.

[CBGLuthier]

9. No he doesn't

This man has no right to be working with children under any circumstances.

[kay1864]

10. Sorry, didn't word that well

I meant he had no business being in a public school in the first place. He's been trying to push creationism and Biblical thinking on kids for far too long.

[GreenPartyVoter]

15. Yes, you are right on that account

[rox63]

23. Don't all teachers have to pass CORI and SORI checks?

Or does that just apply to public school teachers?

[GreenPartyVoter]

14. He most definitely does not. No teacher of any kind should treat students the way he did

[pleah]

4. It took them long enough.

[CBGLuthier]

6. I am reminded of the film Heaven Help Us

WHen the kindly jesuit played by Donald Sutherland tells the asshole brother he was going to put him in a job where he would never be near children again.

What does it take to strip a teacher of their credentials so this POS will never be allowed to "work" with children again?

[smoogatz]

7. The guy should be in jail.

How is burning a cross on a kid's arm not a criminal act?

[texshelters]

35. It is assault, that is for sure

Will any of the students make a criminal complaint?

Tex Shelters

[HCE SuiGeneris]

8. I desperately want a picture of those "supporters" in the parking lot!

Wonder if they look anything like this?

[kay1864]

12. Here ya go...

[HCE SuiGeneris]

22. That is a lot of fundie morans.

Thanks, I guess... :puke:

[LWolf]

11. Please note that teachers CAN be fired without any problems

when necessary.

Remember it the next time someone starts bitching about how school boards "can't get rid of bad teachers."

[kay1864]

13. I'm wondering though, in this very conservative community....

if their decision would have been the same had this story not received such widespread publicity.

[LWolf]

17. The schoolboard reflects the local community.

They vote them in, and school board members are responsive.

The point to note is that when something is that clear cut, there is no problem firing someone.

The vast majority of people expressing outrage, and calling for the firing of a teacher, do so about issues that are NOT clear cut. Issues that are not about appropriate professional behavior, but about personal bias, or the blame game. That's why the teachers aren't fired; because whatever the issue is, it doesn't rise to that level.

[kay1864]

19. Agreed

And it appeared from the news stories that a majority of the townspeople supported this crackpot, including many former students.

Hence my wondering.

[LWolf]

21. That happens in any situation between teacher and student.

The community lines up to take sides, and there are always people on both sides.

When the violation is that clear cut, though, it doesn't matter how many in the community support it. Community support doesn't trump the law.

[kay1864]

24. Actually he violated the law for 11 years

He hung the Ten Commandments and taught about Jesus--in a science class. Despite complaints, the school board never acted. Until now.

I can easily imagine the school board in this community turning a blind eye, even to this (his own lawyer argued no one had been harmed, since the marks were not permanent), since they had done so for 11 years.

The violation was clear cut, true, but so were the others. This time it was known nationwide.

[LWolf]

25. Public attention can move a school board, it's true.

Remembering that the school board was voted in by those very people who supported this kind of thing, I'm not surprised.

What surprises me is that it took 11 years for someone to make sure the board responded.

[kay1864]

27. Me, I'm not surprised at all at the 11 year gap

Fundies supporting a fundie teacher? Fundies all for displaying the Ten Commandments? Anti-evolution statements by science teachers? Still happens.

I think the embarrassing media attention didn't leave them much choice.

[LWolf]

29. Probably.

It just takes one person to hold them accountable. It could be that parents who wanted to do so were intimidated by the community.

I don't intimidate that easily. It would have ended the first week one of my kids attended that man's class.

Perhaps being a teacher, and having spent a couple of decades viewing things on the inside, makes a difference.

[LeftinOH]

18. ...and this from the same town (Mount Vernon, OH) that produced Paul Lynde:

Peter Marshall: Nathan Hale, one of the heroes of the American Revolution, was hung. Why?

Paul Lynde: Heredity!

[LeftishBrit]

28. He deserved to be fired for burning ANYTHING on children's arms!

Surely that's not just unprofessional conduct, but illegal?

I hope the parents take him to court.

[grace0418]

30. How was it even up for debate?! He BRANDED children in his classroom. I don't

care if it was a cross, a Darwin fish, or Mickey Mouse. A teacher who refuses to teach the curriculum and forces his religious beliefs down the throats of children should be fired. A teacher who does that and BRANDS children should be fired immediately and taken away in handcuffs.

[kay1864]

33. Just to clarify, it wasn't branding per se

ie it wasn't a hot iron; it was an ultrasonic device that left a red welt, but apparently it's not permanent.

But I agree he deserves jail time and a massive civil lawsuit.

It was up for debate because it's a fundie town where teaching religious beliefs is just fine, as long as it's Xian beliefs. Sadly, still happens in many towns in the US. Believe it or not, many in the town still supported him, despite the "burning" of crosses in students' skin.

[progressoid]

31. He should be in jail!

[Mojambo]

32. I don't understand how he's not facing jail. n/t

[mitchum]

34. Looks like their god just didn't give a shit about Freshwater

[spanone]

36. fired and he should be prosecuted