Ohio Teacher to be fired for pushing religion on students

[FactualCommentor]

Fred Phelps in disguise.

[GoblinsnHobbits]

Wow, fuck this guy.

[GalaxyShift]

religion belongs no where. period.

[otherworldtrader1]

religion belongs no where but in personal homes or church. and churches should be required to pay taxes jaut as any other property owners do. They are nothing more than play acting intertainment gone astray.. I would feel betrter to see a stripper in school than a religious nut like him. send him to Iran

[hznfrst]

Frankly, a bible doesn't belong on his desk whether he opens it or not, as it's an obvious endorsement of one particular and especially nasty religion. If I were in his class I'd toss it into the nearest trash can, then take the consequences. These religious pricks are getting bolder by the year, blatantly ignoring the constitution that they are supposed to respect. I'd like to start a fund to give them all one-way tickets to Iran or Somalia!

[GODSPEEDseven]

@hznfrst the bible has never "endorsed" a particular nasty religion... if a religion says it based on christianity or the bible and does nasty things, then it's hypocrite. The bible teaches not to kill, steal, not go to war, it's against rape and it's pretty much where most of our laws have been taken from. The bible isn't the issue, it's a book that also teaches that everyone has the freedom of choice, and that other ppls choices are to be respected. Constitution is freedom of choice.

[GODSPEEDseven]

@hznfrst the bible's golden rule is quite simple: "do to others what you would want them to do to you".. if everyone tried following this, do you think this world would be where it is?

What this teacher did (if he did it) is completely NOT in harmony with bible teachings.. so where is the problem, is it the book, or the person that brings his beliefs so far as to decide to go beyond what the bible promotes, which is peace and is against violence.

[Unicron4ever]

"Burn a cross on student's arms"? This guy should be in jail! What a psycho!!!

[hviw]

If he hadn't been a teacher he'd be in jail.

[crypticjim]

no big deal, this asshole can always be a teacher in Texas, or Alabama, or any other fucking retarded southern state.

[Cainkane1]

I had a teacher who shoved eligion down our throats and nothing ever happened to that bitch.

[Khyrid]

I'm an atheist and frown on what this teacher did but I wouldn't put it past students to burn the crosses into their own arms and conspire agianst the guy. When students don't respect their teacher they will make that teacher's life hell. No pun intended.

[vonkruge]

@Khyrid That's why they took a year of hearings before the termination was made official. They also had a third party investigate the allegations before they moved to fire the guy. BUT he was not fired for the cross burning - according the final report of the hearing. You do bring up a good general point

[from212]

@Khyrid Officer Phelps?

[Cainkane1]

That teachers crazy. He needs to be fired.

[GayWorldOrder]

BAN GOD FROM AMERICA'S SCHOOLS NOW!!!

TEACH HOMOSEXUALITY, NOT HOMOPHOBIA NOW!!!

DEMAND GAY RIGHTS. LEGALIZE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE!!!!

DAMN, SO MUCH TO DO, SO LITTLE TIME BEFORE IT ALL GOES TO SHIT...

AND WHILE I'M AT IT, FUCK ISLAM TOO!

[TheWhocares233]

i wish this guy got jail time so bubbles could brand a big mushroom on his ass.

[davidls11]

Too stupid to be a teacher anyway.

[trippinlikegod]

Put this fucking scumbag in jail for child abuse.

[Desertphile]

The evil fiend is no longer teaching, but he's also running around loose where he can burn other children.

[BBoyFury]

As a devout Christian, I'm with you guys.  This dude is messed up.

[HonestMan395]

I've just watched the video. All I saw was a child abuser being congratulated by like minded people.

[diceman31]

Thiss A-hole burns crosses on his students, and the have the "Think" and Consider" fireing him? WTF???????

[MorbidRomantic666]

And they call us Atheists the immoral ones?!

[Uteko95]

good, religious scum should be laughed out of society.

[theSAguitarman]

I was an 8th grader at Mount Vernon Middle School when this all happened. I remember the next day everyone found out we all took our bibles to school and put them on our desks, it really was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I also know that the students that said they had crosses burned on thier arm, admitted that they made it all up when it was brought up during my freshman year, most likely they wanted attention. Sad really.

[bary1234]

@theSAguitarman ; Damn its a shame if those branding-stories were lies. But pushing religion to students should suffice to get the teacher fired. Fucking up brains is child abuse.

[ignacio1200]

i think he should be burn in a cross !!

[hunterW1134]

What. The. Fuck.

[KawaitaKokoro]

Proof that skoolz be evil.

That's why we should not go to schools. We will become more success that way.

And all Americans shall become beings of very large intellect.

And hide in holy basements starting age 7.

[jonrmahnke]

The religious say it is ok to push thier beliefs on others but it isn't ok for others to push their beliefs on them. KEEP YOUR DAMN RELIGION TO YOURSELVES!

[TheDeistAngle]

"accused of using a device to burn a cross under the arms of several students.. ***MAY** lose his job"

May? MAY? That's fucking physical abuse. Put this man in jail. Now.

[MisleadGuidance]

Burn a cross? that's fucking assault. He should serve time.

[thesaxist02]

good lord. (snicker). anyway, branding students trumps any sort of religion claims. Child abuse >> 1st amendment breach in this case, if this is true

[Houshalter]

"He pushed his religious views on students and taught creationism. The school board is debating wether to fire him. Oh, did we mention he's a sociopath that branded students in class."

[starberry2947]

t i have to point out that ohio has a very large religious population. there are only a handful of students in my school who are atheist or agnostic including myself

[Atheist630]

fire the bastard. If a teacher ever threatened my to burn a cross, i would flip a bitch. I would make sure he never teach again. He has no right to push his beliefs on me, and yet i shouldnt force him to give up his beliefs. Beliefs should stay to yourselves, and outside schools. Theres church for a reason.

[SatoTM3]

and this dear children is exhibit A for proving usa is still in mideivil times.

and people are surprised usa is one of the most dumbest countries on earth..

congratz on the obecity too btw

we r all proud

that we aint you

[adamkyler]

Well, I don't see the problem with having a bible on your desk, nut for a biology teacher it implies that he doest actual believe what he is teaching. As for burning crosses on peoples arms, does that mean he cattle branded them or something? If he did that, he needs to go to jail for a long time.

[tyauger1]

@oratadin I'm just saying that if he just would have stuck to what he was Supposed to be teaching, then he wouldnt have gotten into that mess. Now the bible on the desk, that should not have been as big a deal as it was. You know what I am saying, haha. Honestly, I am not on the side of science or religion, its whatever

[christo88white]

losing his job won't help it may drive him outragies and become a KKK or something i belive something like teaching extra courses without gitting paid or commuitey hours will help him to stable alittle bit..jesus

[ryanireland187]

amazing... amazing. another great example that religion must be forced to keep it goin... wheres ur stupid god (gold oil and drugs) when u actually need him?

[tyauger1]

He was actually my 8th grade science teacher, and he really did put religion, ever so subtly, into what he was teaching, which was supposed to be evolution. He never burned any crosses into anyone though, that's bologna. He's actually a really nice guy.

[oratadin]

@tyauger1 so are you saying that nice guys are EVIL and a threat to science?! i'm just kidding.

[RudySpino]

Its not illegal to teach Creationism the law just says it cant be mandatory but I dont think burning crosses in students arms is a good idea for schools.

[furgrayfreak]

although it wasn't direct, the obligations of a teacher to teach and not preach are set in stone. in my opinion, a bible displayed and ten commandments

qualify as religious intimidation.

[patrickledford420]

i would have burned a 666 in his arm and sinner

[XuliusCaesar]

good. religion has no place in todays society and should definitely not be in our schools. if the devil existed ( I don't believe in fairy tales) then religion would be his or her favorite tool. nothing pulls people apart from each other like religion. wars are fought over it, people die in the name of it. people get persecuted for it, and those in north america that speak out against it are told that they are "atheist scum" and are going to "burn in hell"\

Fuck religion. All forms of it.

[furgrayfreak]

i was a student of freshwater-

he would encourage and promote

his views with books, and he questioned students whether giraffes and woodpeckers were created. he also discredited carbon dating and paleontology regarding dinosaurs. 100% truth

[abridgeduploader]

(After checking Wikipedia)

This guy is amazing.

He is suing the schools for discriminating against his religion, seeking $1 million. AND his job. Who would want a guy who BURNED CROSSES INTO KIDS ARMS.

[abridgeduploader]

Not only is this morally wrong, it's also AGAINST THE LAW.

I'm pretty sure that this would be assault against the kids. Not only should his ass get fired, he should be in jail.

[TheWICCACHANNEL]

another creationist nut job there....the only intelligent design was the burnt cross..and that was just plain stupid

[MrJohnnyrace]

He was just another religous fanatic. IM GLAD THEY FIRED HIM.

[Tremblay343]

John Freshwater is a douchebag

[tlr12345]

poor guy. freshwater was a frind of mine and i beleive he was inocent

[KaiserMage]

he kind of said that he did what they said he did so there is no innocence.

[sindinicon13]

i dont know why everyone is so pissed theres no proof he burned cross into the arms of students and besides the shit they teach in schools these days is stupid anyway who cares if he has a bible on his desk seriously this is retarded who believes the big bang theory any way we evolved from apes are you kidding me what theyre sayn is my ancestors are apes seriously thats stupid leave this guy alone

[Opiedid]

You fail at life.

[KeswickCamp08]

no proof?? what about the kids' arms???im a Christian, but still i know everyone has a right to there own Religion.

[ProgressiveAction10]

You must be kidding! Nobody is really this stupid.

[SaganAppreciationSoc]

It's absurd that it took this long to remove John Freshwater. The state should revoke his teaching certificate. He's broken every basic rule that applies to a public education.

[meandogsarescary]

Why, o why, did the board debt for hours, that kind of thing would have taken me three seconds to decide, teacher assaults students, teacher gets fired.

[gooyzit]

It's called teacher unions.

[meandogsarescary]

jezz...the good with the shit I guess.

[gooyzit]

John Stossel has a lovely bit on teacher unions, weather it's accurate or not is anyones guess

[justsomebody13]

Okay, So I actually listened to this and he said he might not have burned the cross into students arms. Even if he didn't he should get punished for teaching religion in school if it wasn't a class specifically designed to teach religion.

[1op9ia9te2]

Who cares if he has a bible in the class room. But for god sakes why cant people keep their religous beliefs to themselves. They always want to convert people. And you cant brand students..That is assault. He should do jail time

[TheOpenminded12460]

@1op9ia9te2 @TheOpenMinded12460 This is Child Abuse.

[itsChristonabike]

Sacked him yesterday.

"The school board in Mount Vernon, Ohio, has voted to fire middle-school science teacher John Freshwater for preaching his Christian beliefs in class and branding some students on the arm with a cross.

The board voted, 5-0, on its intent to terminate Freshwater's contract. His lawyer said he would request a hearing to challenge the firing"

[Atriviality]

My take on the whole thing.

Having a Bible on his desk. No problem. So long as he wasn't reading it while he should have been working, I wouldn't care.

Teaching from an unapproved textbook. Problem. He'd need to be disciplined. Teachers aren't the same as professors. They don't get the same amount of academic freedom.

Branding students. BIG problem. I would charge him with assault. He should lose his teaching license over this.

[george77772moons]

@Atriviality Naw, let him keep his license... but make him only eligible to teach inmates and, before doing so, shove that branding iron up his ass.

[MarkG45]

its glad to know the community rallies around the teacher who brands his students and blatantly breaks constitutional law

[Crucifuck]

I think they should brand a pentagram on his forehead. If a teacher was caught doing that this wouldn't even be an argument. What's on next semesters syllabus, a crown of thorns for every student? These christians make me sick and when people look back at them they will feel the same way I do, that is, if they don't rewrite history....which they love to do.

[SpiritRevised]

I wish people in my town would think the same way, always pushing there religion on the community.

[RankAndFileGuy]

You wish people pushed religion on people ?

[SpiritRevised]

You read my comment wrong. Good try tho.