This is for DaDakota. FYI there's a picture of the cross at the link. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25284886 [rquoter]Teacher burned cross on students’ arms Inquiry: Science teacher was preaching by using high-frequency generator MOUNT VERNON, Ohio - Members of the Mount Vernon school board met Friday to discuss a finding that a middle school teacher preached his Christian beliefs despite staff complaints, even using a device to burn the image of a cross on students' arms. Mount Vernon Middle School teacher John Freshwater also taught creationism in his science class and was insubordinate in failing to remove a Bible and other religious materials from his classroom, a report by independent investigators said. School board members gathered a day after consulting firm H.R. On Call Inc. released its report. It wasn't immediately clear what action, if any, officials in the community about 40 miles northeast of Columbus would take against Freshwater. Superintendent Stephen Short declined to comment before the meeting. Freshwater's attorney, Roger Weaver, didn't immediately return a message seeking comment. The report comes one 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 their child's arm that remained for three or four weeks. Freshwater's friend Dave Daubenmire defended him. ‘Teaching the values of the parents’ "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 district for 21 years, as a great guy. 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.
This is outrageous....burning crosses and preaching their beliefs.... Fired and prosecuted....nothing less will do. DD - the consistent.
The polls are moving our way. I think that this guy branding kids in Ohio vividly reminds every American how sick the society is getting and how much we need to change things. The only way you get change is to vote for Democrats. That's got to be our message. This kind of violence and related ills arise from a Republican-controlled political system and we need very deep change if we're going to turn this country around. In my judgment, there's no question electing Democrats will put a stop to this kind of behavior. http://www.alternet.org/story/8695/
This is absurd. This is obviously Jesus' fault for bringing Christianity to us without any references or citations.
I don't understand the problem with burning a cross on the students arms during the demonstration of a science experiment -- it's not like burned the cross on their foreheads.
Would you feel the same if the symbol was the star of david or star&crescent(Yes, I know it's not actually a symbol of Islam, but enough people mistake it so for this example to work) on the students rather than a cross? I personally wouldn't mind it done to me myself. Then again I'm an atheist, so it's all the same. But still, a teacher should not something like this. Provided he doesn't want to be fired...
What's the problem?? This is no biggie!!! All you atheist freaks need to grow up. i'd fire this guy quicker than you can say "part the Red Sea"
I'm sure that Democrats winning the election will all of a sudden make this teacher mentally well. Come on rimmy. You know better than that. So am I to assume that you believe that all Republicans are violent? You may wish to rethink your stance on that.
Don't the Democrats control education? Last I checked, it wasn't the GOP who were real tight with the teachers' unions.
On top of that, the plus-sign in math is also a cross. We need a new symbol that represents addition.
Control it? That has been up to the GOP for the most part of the last 8 years. They have appointed the Sec. of Education. They have controlled congress as well for most of the time.
