John Freshwater

John Freshwater (born June 22, 1956) is a controversial science teacher at Mount Vernon Middle School in Mount Vernon, Ohio, USA.

Freshwater has a Bachelor's Degree in Education from Ohio University and an Associate's Degree in Recreation & Wild Life from Hocking College.cite news | url=http://www.bibleonthedesk.com/meet.php | title=Meet the Freshwaters | publisher=bibleonthedesk.com |date= June 2008 | first= | last= | accessdate =2008-07-14] He married Nancy on December 20, 1980, and has three children: Luke (born August 2, 1987), Sarah (born July 30, 1989), and Jordan (born June 4, 1993).

The local school board voted to dismiss Freshwater in June 2008 after an investigation concluded Freshwater preached his view of Christian beliefs about how the world began, falsely claimed evolution is discredited and didn't teach the required science curriculum. Furthermore, he was previously told to stop teaching creationism and intelligent design, but he continued to do so.cite news | url=http://dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/06/21/Freshwater_decision.ART_ART_06-21-08_A1_ABAI539.html | title=Board opts to fire teacher | publisher=Columbus Dispatch |date= June 21, 2008 | first= | last= | accessdate =2008-07-14] In addition, the school board released a report showing that Freshwater branded a Christian cross into one student's arm and several teachers complained for eleven years about Freshwater's incorrect teaching of evolution.cite news | url=http://www.dispatch.com/wwwexportcontent/sites/dispatch/local_news/stories/2008/06/19/Freshwater.pdf | title=Freshwater Report | publisher=Mount Vernon City School District Board of Education |date= June 21, 2008 | first= | last= | accessdate =2008-07-14] Two of the parents of the children branded filed a lawsuit against Freshwater and the school district.cite news | url=http://www.ncseweb.org/resources/news/2008/OH/358_creationist_teacher_sued_in_oh_6_20_2008.asp | title=Creationist teacher sued in Ohio | publisher=National Center for Science Education |date= June 20, 2008 | first= | last= | accessdate =2008-07-14] He gave an extra-credit assignment for students to see the pro-intelligent design movie , using Jonathan Wells' discredited "Icons of Evolution"cite news | url=http://www.ncseweb.org/resources/news/2008/OH/177_creationist_teacher_in_ohio_to_6_26_2008.asp | title=Creationist teacher in Ohio to be fired | publisher=National Center for Science Education |date= June 21, 2008 | first= | last= | accessdate =2008-07-14] and work by Kent Hovind. According to CNN, "The report also cites evidence that Mr. Freshwater told his students that 'science is wrong because the Bible states that homosexuality is a sin and so anyone who is gay chooses to be gay and is therefore a sinner'." [cite news | url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/06/20/teacher.cross/ | title=Teacher accused of burning cross on student's arm | publisher=CNN |date= June 21, 2008 | first= | last= | accessdate =2008-07-14]

Freshwater's lawyer described the complaints as "fabrications." Dave Daubenmire, a friend of Freshwater who lost a lawsuit for praying with his football team [cite news | url=http://www.aclu.org/studentsrights/religion/12820prs19991019.html | title=ACLU Declares Victory in Ohio School Where Football Coach Led Prayers, Read Scripture | publisher=ACLU |date= October 19, 1999 | first= | last= | accessdate =2008-07-14] told a newspaper, "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." [cite news | url=http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080620/UPDATES01/80620025 | title=Mount Vernon board moves to fire teacher who allegedly burned crosses on student arms | publisher=Mansfield News Journal |date= June 20, 2008 | first= | last= | accessdate =2008-07-14] Originally on April 18th, some students held a rally on his behalf when he was told to remove all religious symbols from his class, but he refused to remove a Bible off his desk. [cite news | url=http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/04/18/bible2.html?sid=101 | title=Students support teacher by taking Bibles to school | publisher=Columbus Dispatch |date= April 18, 2008 | first= | last= | accessdate =2008-07-14] However in response, the school released a statement the following week, in part, "The allegations against Mr. Freshwater are very serious. This is not about his personal Bible on his desktop. It is about the totality of his conduct."cite news | url=http://www.mountvernonnews.com/local/08/04/22/freshwater_upd.html | title=Teacher conduct subject of investigation | publisher=Mount Vernon News |date= April 23, 2008 | first= | last= | accessdate =2008-07-14]

Parents of the student branded filed a federal lawsuit and released a statement regarding Freshwater's claims saying, "We are religious people, but we were offended when Mr. Freshwater burned a cross onto the arm of our child." And "We are Christians who practice our faith where it belongs, at church and in our home and, most importantly, outside the public classroom, where the law requires a separation of church and state." In September WCMH-TV reported he filed a counterclaim saying he suffered "emotional distress, lost time from work and anxiety in his lawsuit. Plus, he wanted this case to be heard before a jury." [cite news | url=http://www.nbc4i.com/midwest/cmh/news.apx.-content-articles-CMH-2008-09-12-0017.html | title=Freshwater Files A Counterclaim | publisher=WCMH-TV |date= September 12, 2008 | first= | last= | accessdate =2008-09-14]

ee also

*Creation and evolution in public education

References