Faith Under
Fire....
Fight escalates over teacher fired for Bible on desk - Case
argues faculty member's basic academic freedoms destroyed
Posted: April 12, 2011
By Bob Unruh
The Rutherford Institute is joining the case of an Ohio teacher
who was fired for keeping a Bible on his desk and suggesting that
students "think critically about the school's science curriculum,
particularly as it relates to evolution theories."
The announcement from John Whitehead, the president of the
organization, concerns the claims of teacher John Freshwater.
"The right of public school teachers to academic freedom is the
bedrock of American education," Whitehead said. "What we need
today are more teachers and school administrators who understand
that young people don't need to be indoctrinated. Rather, they
need to be taught how to think for themselves."
Freshwater, a 24-year veteran in the classroom, originally was
suspended several years ago by the Mount Vernon School District
in Mount Vernon, Ohio.
One of the early allegations was that he "branded" students with a
scientific machine called a Tesa Coil that demonstrates electrical
current.
However, Dave Daubenmire, who served as a spokesman for the
teacher, said the "cross branding" was nothing of the sort. He
characterized it as a science experiment Freshwater had been
conducting for 21 years in which he made X marks, not crosses, on
the students' skin in the demonstration.
Daubenmire pointed out experts have affirmed the experiment causes
no injury to students.
There were other issues involved.
Cited as reasons for his 2008 suspension and official termination
in January 2011 were his actions of allegedly "improperly"
injecting religion into the class by giving students "reason to
doubt the accuracy and or veracity of scientists, science
testbooks and/or science in general."
He also was accused of failing to remove "all religious articles"
from his classroom.
But Freshwater never received a negative performance evaluation.
And during the 2007-2008 school year, as the issues were
developing, his students earned the highest state standardized
test scores in science of any eighth grade class in the district.
According to the Rutherford Institute, "moreover, according to a
federal judge's findings, Freshwater was the only science teacher
at Mount Vernon Middle School who got a 'passing' score on the
Ohio Achievement Test."
But when the school board ordered him to remove "all religious
items" from his classroom, including his personal Bible, which he
kept on his desk, he agreed to remove the objects except for the
Bible.
As the conflict between the teacher and district developed,
students organized a rally in his honor, wore T-shirts with
crosses painted on them and carried Bibles to class.
Even though the district's policies state that because religious
traditions vary, teachers should give unbiased instruction so that
students may evaluate it "in accordance with their own religious
tenets," school officials got rid of him.
He's now appealing the termination in state court, alleging
violations of his First and Fourteenth Amendment rights and
religious discrimination.
A case had been filed earlier, but changes made it expedient that
the claims be renewed at this point, attorneys explained. The case
originally was brought by attorney R. Kelly Hamilton on behalf of
Freshwater, alleging 16 counts including violations of
Freshwater's First and 14th Amendment rights of free speech, free
association and free exercise of religion.
Daubenmire, of Pass The Salt Ministries and Minutemen United, also
explained to WND at the time that Freshwater had not used the
Bible in his interaction with students. But he said the teacher
believed he should not forfeit his constitutional rights just
because of his occupation.