Kids...this is why you should pay attention in school..

Mark Latimour · #1 06-26-2008, 01:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AAP

Ohio board votes to ax teacher accused of branding

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — 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.

Why post the article? Because it has the single greatest out of context quote I have seen in a while:

Quote:

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.

Now that is something you want on your resume!

Do you think the reporter was in journalist heaven when he say the quote he got from Mr Daubenmire?

Source: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5g...TwstgD91E38D00

**Vorago** · #2 06-26-2008, 02:10 AM

Glen Benton (Deicide) style!

AlphaMale · #3 06-26-2008, 02:30 AM

No one would out cry over people forcing Christianity on non-christians or Atheists being persecuted for their beliefs so it's not news.

ADbassman · #4 06-26-2008, 02:55 AM

Burning crosses into childrens arms is news, I should think.

Matt_W · #5 06-26-2008, 03:13 AM

I love the way a committee vote was needed to decide whether to fire someone who had been branding children.

Mark Latimour · #6 06-26-2008, 03:16 AM

I will only add that whilst there may not be a better word for it, it doesn't appear that the "brand" or "burn" was permanent in any way. It was done by some sort of electrostatic device that is similar to a bruise. Its hard to know whether it causes any pain etc. but I am sure that, even when I was in high school, this kind of experiment would have been "okay" - I had many stupid things done to me in the name of science!

peterbright · #7 06-26-2008, 05:49 AM

Very strange

sonicvi · #8 06-26-2008, 07:57 AM

I can't even imagine that I would've let a teacher do something like that to me in middle school.

mjolnir · #9 06-26-2008, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sonicvi

I can't even imagine that I would've let a teacher do something like that to me in middle school.

I'ma have to agree on this point. Any dude who walks up to me with the intention of branding me should expect me to put up one hell of a fight, teacher or no.

Gard · #10 06-26-2008, 08:34 AM

Leaving belief out of the equation, as a parent, once I got over my desire to beat the ever living crap out of this pathetic idiot, I would have called the police and had him arrested for assaulting my child.

Once I heard that the school board had to actually call a vote to decide to terminate him, I would be screaming bloody murder to have each and every single one removed from the school board for not summarily canning this individual. He threatened the safety and health of his students, not to mention the psychological issue of scarring them (even if it was not a permanent one). Further, while the teacher has every right to his beliefs, he crossed the line as a public employee and violated the First Amendment. Not addressing this issue exposes the school district to the possibility of a civil rights lawsuit (which I would have either initiated or participated in).

He should have been on the street looking for work the very next day, while dodging the police that were about to arrest him for assault on a minor.

Rich L · #11 06-26-2008, 11:13 AM

The guy probably would've been fired on the spot for corporal punishment i.e. spanking, but branding requires a vote??? Unbelievable

They should vote out those board members!

Chriss62 · #12 06-26-2008, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vorago

Glen Benton (Deicide) style!

Yipes...Have you heard Diecides new stuff. It's getting better!

bradjonesbass · #13 06-26-2008, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt_W

I love the way a committee vote was needed to decide whether to fire someone who had been branding children.

It's called Unions...

Atoz · #14 06-26-2008, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Latimour

Why post the article? Because it has the single greatest out of context quote I have seen in a while:

Quote:

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.

...

LOL. Reminds me of this quote from a few years back:

“Outside of the killings, Washington [DC] has one of the lowest crime rates in the country.” -DC Mayor Marion Barry

thumpbass1 · #15 06-26-2008, 01:00 PM

I happen to be an evangelical christian by choice, and the story makes me furious as well! The teacher in question should be fired, and if I'd been a parent of a kid who got the unwanted crucifix tatoo, I'd be tempted myself to risk getting hauled off for assault myself. The guy is clueless towards understanding any actual ' gospel values ' as taught by Christ, as far as I understand the Bible. To have some board members say he reflects a lot of the values of parents in the community scares me even worse! These are christian values? I sure hope not! They need to knock this clown out of his bully pulpit once and for all.

Marcus Johnson · #16 06-26-2008, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gard

once I got over my desire to beat the ever living crap out of this pathetic idiot, I would have called the police and had him arrested for assaulting my child.

I never would've gotten past that first step. If that had been my kid, this guy would've been picking his teeth outta his stool next day.

Jeremy Crockett · #17 06-26-2008, 01:38 PM

I wonder what the other side of the story is.

We probably won't hear much about that.

Mark Latimour · #18 06-26-2008, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OctoberMooN

I wonder what the other side of the story is.

We probably won't hear much about that.

What would be sufficient to justify this, in your view?

Jeremy Crockett · #19 06-26-2008, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Latimour

What would be sufficient to justify this, in your view?

I didn't suggest any justification. I really wonder what the teacher has to say.

Was that not not clear?

Quote:

I wonder what the other side of the story is.

Mark Latimour · #20 06-26-2008, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OctoberMooN

I didn't suggest any justification. I really wonder what the teacher has to say.

Was that not not clear?

Its pretty easy to find with a quick google search, if you are really interested.

Here's another quote:

Quote:

We are religious people, but we were offended when Mr. Freshwater burned a cross onto the arm of our child. This was done in science class in December 2007, where an electric shock machine was used to burn our child. The burn was severe enough that our child awoke that night with severe pain, and the cross remained there for several weeks.

I suppose, like you, I do wonder what excuse he could try and use for that.