CREATIONIST TEACHER IN OHIO SUED AND FIRED

A complaint filed in federal court on June 13, 2008, accuses John
Freshwater, a Mount Vernon, Ohio, middle school science teacher, of
inappropriately bringing his religion to school -- including by
displaying
posters with the Ten Commandments and Bible verses in his classroom,
branding crosses into the arms of his students with a high-voltage
electrical device, and teaching creationism. The complaint also
alleges
that the principal of the school, the superintendent of the school
district, and the board of education allowed Freshwater to continue
teaching and failed to discipline him, even after the branding incident
(which occurred in December 2007) was brought to their attention. The
attorney representing the complainants (who are identified only as
"John
Doe and Jane Doe") told the Columbus Dispatch (June 20, 2008), "These
concerns had been going on for at least 11 years, and the school had
not
done anything."

According to the conclusions of a report on Freshwater commissioned by
the
district and dated June 19, 2008, "Mr. Freshwater engaged in teaching
of a
religious nature, teaching creationism and related theories and calling
evolution into question. He had other materials in his classroom that
could be used for that purpose." Investigators found various
creationist
literature in his classroom, including Jonathan Sarfati's Refuting
Evolution and Jonathan Wells's Icons of Evolution. Additionally, high
school teachers in the same district complained that they had to
"re-teach"
concepts related to evolution that Freshwater misrepresented: one
commented, "At the ninth grade level when we bring up evolution there
is
challenge and argumentation from students who have had Mr. Freshwater,
bordering on hostility." And the principal of the high school
specifically
asked for her daughter not to be assigned to Freshwater's class.

A lawyer for the Mount Vernon City School District told the Dispatch
(June
19, 2008) that the administration directed Freshwater not to discuss
his
religious beliefs in class: "They told him he was to teach -- not
preach." He added that Freshwater could not have been disciplined
before
the completion of the investigation; the board of education is expected
to
review the report and decide what action, if any, to take on June 20,
2008. The Dispatch (June 20, 2008) subsequently reported, "Neither
Freshwater nor his attorney, Roger Weaver, could be reached for comment
last night. 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
said." Daubenmire previously acknowledged to the Dispatch (April 17,
2008)
that Freshwater taught "intelligent design" in his classroom.

At its June 20, 2008, meeting, the Mount Vernon City School District
Board
of Education unanimously voted to begin proceedings to terminate
Freshwater's employment with the district. "Freshwater preached his
Christian beliefs about how the world began, discredited evolution and
didn't teach the required science curriculum, the board says. He was
told
to stop teaching creationism and intelligent design, but he continued
to do
so, an investigation found," the Columbus Dispatch (June 21, 2008)
reports. According to the Dispatch, "After learning of the board's
decision, Freshwater called the consultants' report half-truths and
said he
never veered from the state standards for teaching science"; his lawyer
described the complaints as "fabrications," adding that Freshwater
intends
to appeal the board's decision.