Science Teacher Fired for Burning Crosses on Students' Arms

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An Ohio science teacher accused of burning the image of a cross on students' arms has officially been fired.

The Mount Vernon school board voted 4-1 Monday night to accept a state hearing officer's recommendation to terminate John Freshwater. The Columbus Dispatch reports the firing took effect a few hours later, at midnight.

Freshwater had appealed his earlier firing by the board. An internal investigation found he had preached Christian beliefs in class. He also was accused of using a scientific device to mark several students with a cross and of keeping a Bible on his desk.

The hearing officer's report issued Friday said Freshwater sowed doubt and confusion in the minds of impressionable students.

Freshwater has not responded to messages for comment.

Ohio Teacher Fired After Accused of Burning Cross Image on Students' Arms - FoxNews.com
 
I can only assume there's at least a teensy bit of mental illness involved to make that teacher think this was even possibly a good idea.
 
Reading the article again, I'm confused, did he actually burn them/mark them permanently in some way, or was it a temporary thing?

Either way, this is still insane...
 
Ohio school district fires science teacher that urged creationism
January 10th, 2011 5:16 pm MT


An Ohio science teacher who repeatedly told students that God created all life on Earth, and who posted the Ten Commandments and Bible verses in his public school classroom, was fired Monday night.

John Freshwater, a middle school teacher in Mount Vernon, has been on unpaid leave from his job since 2008.

The local school board voted 4-1 to terminate his employment after a hearing officer appointed by the state recommended the sanction.

The recommendation by the hearing officer, R. Lee Shepherd, was released on Friday.

Shepherd wrote in the document explaining his findings that Freshwater tried to use his eighth grade classroom as a forum to examine science through the theological lens of Christianity.

"He used his classroom as a means of sowing the seeds of doubt and confusion in the minds of impressionable students as they searched for meaning in the subject of science," Shepherd said.

An investigation conducted before he was put on leave revealed that Freshwater, 54, had taught "young Earth creationism" in his classroom since at least 2006.

The introduction of religion into the science curriculum is forbidden by the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment.

Ohio requires that middle school biology classes include instruction about evolution.

Freshwater had also been accused of branding crosses on the arms of several of his students.

He agreed last autumn to settle a lawsuit brought by one alleged victim.

Shepherd said the mutilation allegations had no bearing on his recommendation that Freshwater lose his job.

A closer look, this teacher was fired for his religious beliefs.
 
A closer look, this teacher was fired for his religious beliefs.

Nooooooo, I have to disagree with you there. His job is to teach biology. Biology is not theology. His job is to teach about the science behind the creation of Earth. Creationism is not scientifically founded. He's not doing his job. He was fired.

Also, he branded his students...that too.
 
A closer look, this teacher was fired for his religious beliefs.

No he wasn't. He was fired for not teaching the students what was required to be taught. It's sort of the whole point of a teacher
 
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