Friday, June 20, 2008 | Reason : Religion as Child Abuse | print version

Science teacher dissed evolution

by Columbus Dispatch

Thanks to logicalbasedreality for the link.

http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/06/20/mtvernon.ART_ART_06-20-08_B1_R2AHRH3.html?sid=101

Science teacher dissed evolution

He taught creationism, report says

By Alayna DeMartini
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

image description

A Mount Vernon teacher undermined science instruction in the public school district by discrediting evolution in his classroom and focusing on creationism and intelligent design, an investigation has found.

Eighth-graders who were taught by John Freshwater frequently had to be re-taught in high school what they were supposed to have learned in Freshwater's class, according to outside investigators hired by the district.

For 11 years, other teachers in the school district and people in the community complained about Freshwater preaching his Christian beliefs in class and slamming scientific theories, a school administrator told investigators.

"There is a significant amount of evidence that Mr. Freshwater's teachings regarding subjects related to evolution were not consistent with the curriculum of the Mount Vernon City Schools and state standards," the consultants reported.

Freshwater was told to stop teaching intelligent design and creationism, but he continued, the report found.

HR on Call Inc., the consultants who investigated allegations against Freshwater, released their findings yesterday. Mount Vernon school board members will meet today to discuss the report and decide what, if any, action they will take.

The report confirmed that Freshwater burned crosses onto students' arms, using an electrostatic device, in December.

Freshwater told investigators the marks were X's, not crosses. But all of the students interviewed in the investigation reported being branded with crosses. The investigation report includes a photo of one student's arm with a long vertical line and a short horizontal line running through it.

The family of one student who was burned filed a federal lawsuit last week against Freshwater and the district, saying the student's civil rights were violated.

Yesterday, the family's attorney, Jessica Philemond, said it was "unfortunate" that the school district didn't do anything sooner to stop Freshwater.

"These concerns had been going on for at least 11 years, and the school had not done anything," she said.

A teacher who worked in Freshwater's classroom last year also reported to investigators that Freshwater told his class that homosexuality is a sin.

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 is a former London High School football coach whose district was sued in 1999 by the American Civil Liberties Union because he led his players in prayer at games, practices and meetings.

"Do you think there are other teachers in the public classroom that are trying to drive their opinions in the classroom?" Daubenmire asked. "I don't care who you are. You cannot separate your value system from your teaching."

The debate about Freshwater's actions became public in April after he refused to remove a Bible from his desk, as the district had ordered.

The report says he was insubordinate for failing to remove the Bible and other religious materials from his classroom but also found other issues about his teaching and behavior.

ademartini@dispatch.com

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1. Comment #196740 by notsobad on June 20, 2008 at 11:51 am

This is why you need to educate your kids at home, teach them to question information and authority and discuss things that go on at school with them.
I would storm into the school the day after some idiot teacher tried this.

Other Comments by notsobad

2. Comment #196741 by FightingFalcon on June 20, 2008 at 11:53 am

The report confirmed that Freshwater burned crosses onto students' arms, using an electrostatic device, in December.

Holy shit (literally)!

So when does this asshole go to jail???

Other Comments by FightingFalcon

3. Comment #196742 by Knucklesdude on June 20, 2008 at 11:53 am

Horrible. I agree with notsobad, I would not tolerate these actions for a second.

Other Comments by Knucklesdude

4. Comment #196743 by sophia_mr on June 20, 2008 at 11:55 am

That dude is clearly nuts (then against so are most people) and something should have been done about that a long time ago.

Other Comments by sophia_mr

5. Comment #196745 by catskill on June 20, 2008 at 11:59 am

What I learned from this article is that even if you are a total wacko with religious materials all over the classroom and you teach creationism openly you can go on for years without any interference. What about all the other teachers who do the same thing but without the Bibles and branding? They go on.

Other Comments by catskill

6. Comment #196746 by lhunt3 on June 20, 2008 at 11:59 am

The creationists are just going to point to this incident (forgetting about the fact that the teacher actually burnt the kids) as another example of "big science" unfairly promoting atheism in the classroom.

Other Comments by lhunt3

7. Comment #196748 by 8teist on June 20, 2008 at 12:01 pm

Obviously he`s not a science teacher, not even a religious scholar .Does not even have the balls to admit it . Most definitely a cross burnt into that childs arm not an x.
Jeez... I didn`t expect the spanish inquisition.....

...cue...

Other Comments by 8teist

8. Comment #196749 by Epinephrine on June 20, 2008 at 12:01 pm

(literally)!

[Inigo]
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
[/Inigo]

I think we've seen this clown (Freshwater) before, or perhaps it was via a blog or something. Hopefully he'll be sacked for his behaviour.

I didn`t expect the spanish inquisition.....

NOBODY expects the Spanish inquisition!

(yeah, I figured I had to...)

Other Comments by Epinephrine

9. Comment #196753 by Podaar on June 20, 2008 at 12:08 pm

What does the cross burning say about the eighth-graders?! I don't know about the rest of you, but if any teacher would have approached me with an electrostatic device with the intent to burn anything into my skin, I would have kicked him in the nuts!

Sheesh. Stupid on two levels.

Other Comments by Podaar

10. Comment #196755 by Prankster on June 20, 2008 at 12:10 pm

Hasn't something like this been posted already on here? Back in April this year weren't there reports of a teacher branding students?

If it's the same fundie idiot, why is still employed?

The mind boggles.....

Other Comments by Prankster

11. Comment #196760 by SonOfSLJ on June 20, 2008 at 12:16 pm

What's sad is that Daubenmire may be correct, and Freshwater may be reflecting the values of the community (with the exception of that whole branding-of-flesh thing...) since I can't think of another plausible reason why this clown wasn't fired a long time ago.

But whether or not Freshwater is reflecting provincial standards is irrelevant - his responsibility as a teacher is to reflect the curriculum of the school district, and if that curriculum conflicts with his values, then maybe...oh...he shouldn't have decided to become a teacher in the school district.

Not that Freshwater really wants to be a teacher anyway. I think he's harboring his true ambition now - a chance to be a martyr.

Other Comments by SonOfSLJ

12. Comment #196764 by mordacious1 on June 20, 2008 at 12:19 pm

Yes, this story is a bit old. If I was an attorney I'd be drooling to get this case. Ka-ching. The school claims the crossing burning was wrong, but there was no problem with his teaching. They are just CTA-ing. I wouldn't necessarily home school, but interviewing your child's teachers and talking to other parents about them is a real good idea.

Other Comments by mordacious1

13. Comment #196769 by rod-the-farmer on June 20, 2008 at 12:26 pm

I agree with SonOfSLJ

"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.

The teacher was hired to teach the curriculum of the State Board of Education, NOT what the parents values might be. This was a science class for cryin' out loud. If the parents object, they can take their kids to a different school, home-school them, or try to undo what the science teacher says, or try to get the curriculum changed. (See Dover, PA).

Geez Louise. Burning crosses into students arms. How many times have we ALL said "You just couldn't make this stuff up".

Let's watch THIS one unfold. Any lurkers out there from this community who can report back ?

EDIT

You cannot separate your value system from your teaching.

If your values are opposed to those of the state curriculum, then I suggest, nay insist you resign as a public school teacher, and seek employment elsewhere. In government service would this not be called treason ?

Other Comments by rod-the-farmer

14. Comment #196772 by Epinephrine on June 20, 2008 at 12:30 pm

Report of the investigation.

It goes beyond just burning a few arms,

In addition, there is evidence that Mr. Freshwater inappropriately said to his class that science is wrong because the Bible states that homosexuality is a sin and so anyone who is gay chooses to be gay and therefore is a sinner.

Nutjob.

http://www.dispatch.com/wwwexportcontent/sites/dispatch/local_news/stories/2008/06/19/Freshwater.pdf

Other Comments by Epinephrine

15. Comment #196774 by decius on June 20, 2008 at 12:32 pm

Why aren't they pressing criminal charges for assault and bodily harm?

Other Comments by decius

16. Comment #196779 by Border Collie on June 20, 2008 at 12:34 pm

If this guy actually burned flesh, I'd say his personal problems go way beyond teaching religion in a science classroom. Seems like he might need to be in an involuntary therapeutic environment for a few decades. The school administration and school board might check in for a few therapeutic sessions also.

Other Comments by Border Collie

17. Comment #196781 by rod-the-farmer on June 20, 2008 at 12:35 pm

One the Columbus, Ohio newspaper web site I found this

http://www.dispatch.com/wwwexportcontent/sites/dispatch/local_news/stories/2008/04/22/2006_complaint.pdf

a copy of the letter sent to the teacher in question, back in mid-2006, investigating his use of non-standard material in his classroom. He was cautioned to stick to the official curriculum.

Stick a fork in him, he's done.

Other Comments by rod-the-farmer

18. Comment #196788 by glenister_m on June 20, 2008 at 12:43 pm

In this link:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080620/ap_on_re_us/teacher_bible;_ylt=AvqEmmIezG3j4ijfUcmQcNis0NUE

they add:

"A former superintendent, Jeff Maley, said he tried to find another position for Freshwater but couldn't because Freshwater was certified only in science, the report said.

Freshwater used a science tool known as a high-frequency generator to burn images of a cross on students' arms in December, the report said. Freshwater told investigators he simply was trying to demonstrate the device on several students and described the images as an "X," not a cross. But pictures show the images depict a cross, the report said.

Other findings show that Freshwater taught that carbon dating was unreliable to argue against evolution."

The certification thing is a joke. Unless you are teaching upper level courses required for admission to college/university, certification in a particular subject is not mandatory. I am certified to teach science, but if I was willing and they needed someone, I could just as easily teach art, home economics, keyboarding, or gym to the lower grades and no one would mind.

What was he trying to demonstrate with his high-frequency generator? How you can use it to burn people?

I doubt he argued that the Bible was unreliable to argue against scientific facts.

Other Comments by glenister_m

19. Comment #196793 by hoops mccann on June 20, 2008 at 12:46 pm

"[Inigo]
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
[/Inigo]"

Speaking of cues:
"My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die"

(yeah, I figured I had to as well...)

Other Comments by hoops mccann

20. Comment #196794 by rod-the-farmer on June 20, 2008 at 12:49 pm

Further links on the newspaper web site....You HAVE to read this. I defer to the Irate Atheist for a word to describe this nut.

http://www.dispatch.com/wwwexportcontent/sites/dispatch/local_news/stories/2008/06/19/Freshwater.pdf

Other Comments by rod-the-farmer

21. Comment #196797 by TeraBrat on June 20, 2008 at 12:51 pm

If this guy actually burned flesh, I'd say his personal problems go way beyond teaching religion in a science classroom. Seems like he might need to be in an involuntary therapeutic environment for a few decades. The school administration and school board might check in for a few therapeutic sessions also.

I agree.

It's funny that he caught on the least offensive thing tha the did. I could care less if a teacher wants to have a bible sitting on their desk. What they teach, say and how they behave towards the children is so much more important.

Other Comments by TeraBrat

22. Comment #196804 by Don_Quix on June 20, 2008 at 12:59 pm

Prison time baby!

Other Comments by Don_Quix

23. Comment #196806 by ThoughtsonCommonToad on June 20, 2008 at 1:00 pm

The report confirmed that Freshwater burned crosses onto students' arms, using an electrostatic device, in December.

Freshwater told investigators the marks were X's, not crosses.

Oh that's ok then. For a minute there I thought he'd done something wrong.

Other Comments by ThoughtsonCommonToad

24. Comment #196810 by tahustvedt on June 20, 2008 at 1:01 pm

I don't get it.

What the hell is the logic behind burning in crosses in the arms of the students?

And why is the explanation that he was burning in X's any better?

Other Comments by tahustvedt

25. Comment #196814 by davem on June 20, 2008 at 1:05 pm

For 11 years, other teachers in the school district and people in the community complained about Freshwater preaching his Christian beliefs in class and slamming scientific theories, a school administrator told investigators.

Looks like Mr Freshwater has got to go. Shortly followed by his bosses, who seem equally incapable of doing their job. 11 years? Why did it take more than 11 minutes?

Other Comments by davem

26. Comment #196816 by mark8 on June 20, 2008 at 1:09 pm

"These concerns had been going on for at least 11 years, and the school had not done anything,"

This is it for me, the school is just as culpable for his actions as the teacher is himself. Clearly washing their hands, while he proselytizes and tortures children!

Dismiss, and then charge the lot of them with the full letter of the law.

Other Comments by mark8

27. Comment #196840 by ttheobald on June 20, 2008 at 1:27 pm

Aside from the whole issue of burning children, what I come back to is the imbecilic notion that "he's teaching parents' values."

#1 - he's not paid to teach values, he's paid to teach science. Science education is not subject to a democratic vote. Reality is reality, you don't get to "believe" about it.

#2 - back to the burning bit. Causing physical harm to the students such that it leaves scarring or marks, even temporarily, is a criminal offense. Parents who did this would potentially be arrested and might lose custody of their children over something like this - why is this fellow not in a jail cell dancing with the proverbial seven foot tall weight-lifter named "Chickles"?

T

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28. Comment #196855 by TeraBrat on June 20, 2008 at 1:51 pm

#2 - back to the burning bit. Causing physical harm to the students such that it leaves scarring or marks, even temporarily, is a criminal offense. Parents who did this would potentially be arrested and might lose custody of their children over something like this - why is this fellow not in a jail cell dancing with the proverbial seven foot tall weight-lifter named "Chickles"?

Excellent question.

I wonder if the fact that he's a devout Christian has anything to do with it.

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29. Comment #196859 by robotaholic on June 20, 2008 at 1:56 pm

who the FUCK does he think he is

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30. Comment #196871 by Mr. Davies on June 20, 2008 at 2:16 pm

Rod-the-farmer: Thanks so much for the .pdf scoop!
It goes to show that after 11 years, it comes to something like this.

I may never be able to compete with the Irate Atheist, but how about this...
"He's a hot buttered cross-tard"?

Other Comments by Mr. Davies

31. Comment #196879 by steve8282 on June 20, 2008 at 2:27 pm

inconceivable!!!

Other Comments by steve8282

32. Comment #196892 by AllanW on June 20, 2008 at 2:53 pm

Where are any of the current crop (or even some of the older ones) of religiots on this site commenting on this thread?

Ah! I understand; 'He's just one guy, obviously not representative' or 'He's not in MY religion' or 'He just doesn't understand, that is not what MY God wants him to do' or 'All religions have their extremists; no-one condones that'.

Let me ask you a question; if he wasn't Christian, in America, white, male and known to the community, would he have been allowed to go on proselytising in the public science classroom for so long?

If his particular delusion, his particular removal from reality had been the worship of Set or Khali or Amon Ra, do you think it would have taken eleven years to expose him as the monster he so plainly is?

This is the point about 'enabling' that Dawkins makes; this community enabled this vile, despicable slug to practice his religion on twenty-one years worth of kids passing through that school. How many more are there in the States getting away with this right now?

Other Comments by AllanW

33. Comment #196905 by TeraBrat on June 20, 2008 at 3:13 pm

Ah! I understand; 'He's just one guy, obviously not representative' or 'He's not in MY religion' or 'He just doesn't understand, that is not what MY God wants him to do' or 'All religions have their extremists; no-one condones that'.

I realize you were being sarcastic, but, he wasn't just "one guy".

Other teachers knew what he was doing, the principle had to know what he was doing and I can't believe none of the parents knew. He was BRANDING their children on the forearm. If they didn't know they don't deserve to be parents.

Other Comments by TeraBrat

34. Comment #196910 by Pattern Seeker on June 20, 2008 at 3:21 pm

Sure, diss evolution all you want...but the minute you diss me by burning a cross into my arm with an electrostatic device...

WHAM! Your face-My fist. End of story.

Other Comments by Pattern Seeker

35. Comment #196913 by decius on June 20, 2008 at 3:24 pm

After all he was only acting according to well-established traditions.

An illustration from Ridpath's History of the World, shows the work of the Inquisition in Holland. A Protestant man is hanging by his feet in stocks. The fire is heating a poker to brand him and blind his eyes.

Other Comments by decius

36. Comment #196916 by notsobad on June 20, 2008 at 3:25 pm

What does the cross burning say about the eighth-graders?! I don't know about the rest of you, but if any teacher would have approached me with an electrostatic device with the intent to burn anything into my skin, I would have kicked him in the nuts!

This seems to be a case of both fucked-up parenting and fucked-up education. I wouldn't be surprised if the parents actually supported that nut.

Other Comments by notsobad

37. Comment #196917 by 8teist on June 20, 2008 at 3:26 pm

I think this is a case of :
those who can, do
those who can`t, teach
those who can`t teach, teach religion
those who can`t teach religion, torture

Other Comments by 8teist

38. Comment #196921 by sent2null on June 20, 2008 at 3:29 pm

Well at least the moron has finally been ripped from his pulpit.

Ah the depths to which delusion will bring a Man!

Other Comments by sent2null

39. Comment #196922 by 8teist on June 20, 2008 at 3:32 pm

NOoooooobody expects the inquisition..
Heresy by thought,heresy by words,heresy by deed,heresy by action.

fetch............the ......comfy chair

Other Comments by 8teist

40. Comment #196924 by MorituriMax on June 20, 2008 at 3:38 pm

Weird... Homosexuality is a Sin? I thought there were seven sins, that's one of them? Bigotry ought to outrank Homosexuality and he's a bigtime sinner there.

Beyond that though, the burning question I have is, who the eff certified this guy in science? That is who should be locked up.

Other Comments by MorituriMax

41. Comment #196926 by Podaar on June 20, 2008 at 3:42 pm

AllanW,

The Amun-Ra brands might look cooler though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amun

Other Comments by Podaar

42. Comment #196927 by Jack Rawlinson on June 20, 2008 at 3:44 pm

This is why you need to educate your kids at home, learn them to question information and authority

Aaaand that right there is why you possibly don't. :-)

Other Comments by Jack Rawlinson

43. Comment #196930 by SimUser on June 20, 2008 at 3:46 pm

I lived in Ohio (further North, but still in a small community) for a while when I was a kid, and people really are that wacko in that part of the Bible Belt. Try going to school where everyone knows you are one of those kids that doesn't go to the local church.

In Ohio they only know how to teach you to build the box you have to think inside.

So very glad I already had my science credits when I went there for a year in High School, I already had to unlearn a lot of falsities when I left at 12.

Other Comments by SimUser

44. Comment #196935 by MarcLindenberg on June 20, 2008 at 3:55 pm

This type of thing is absolutely mind-bottling... How could that have gone on for so long?!

Not to mention how he isn't in prison for branding his students... He should have been sacked by now for sure...

(yes mind bottling, you know, where your thoughts get all trapped and you can't think, like in a bottle :P)

Other Comments by MarcLindenberg

45. Comment #196940 by RichDogue on June 20, 2008 at 4:17 pm

This sort of nonsense goes on far more than you think. I was teaching a graduate curriculum class at the University of S. C. and was dismissed mid-way through the course officially because I drank wine on Youtube from my home office with my books on shelves behind me and my textbook in my lap. The university said that it was "inappropriate" for a professor to sip wine while teaching, even it's from his home office. But I think that the real reason was that the curriculum texts I used questioned the unspoken fundamentalist protestant hegemony over the values we teach in the public schools of South Carolina. I had several students with BA's from Bob Jones who howled in anger that the class was questioning their basic values about the teaching of evolution, homosexuality, sex education, and what it means to be white and American. They told me repeatedly in e-mails how offended they were that I required them to support their views in their papers with evidence and reasoning, claiming that the mere statement of their beliefs should be sufficient.

If I had been teaching a more bland, and neutral, curriculum course that did not dare broach these substantive issues, I am certain that I could have drunk wine on Youtube to my heart's content and no one would have had anything bad to say about it.

Fortunately, I still have my day job as high-school teacher/administrator. I am a National Board certified teacher with an earned doctorate in curriculum and instruction. I work in an enlightened school district. The kind of nonsense perpetrated by the teacher in Ohio this thread is discussing goes on the rural areas of this country far more than we would like to believe. Almost 30% of science teachers, I read recently in the Chronicle of Higher Education (I think that's where I got it), do not believe in evolution.

They get to keep their jobs while teachers who know that creationism is false and that the imposition of abstinence-only, white supremacist curricula alienates our "minority" youth keep silent for fear of the screaming fundamenalists.

We had a parent recently who contacted our principal demanding that our school not support the April 25 national day of silence in support of the young gay student who was beaten up (to death) by his peers a few years ago just for being gay. Needless to say, we did not have the day of silence. Not in this rural Southern Baptist state!

Other Comments by RichDogue

46. Comment #196942 by TeraBrat on June 20, 2008 at 4:27 pm

We had a parent recently who contacted our principal demanding that our school not support the April 25 national day of silence in support of the young gay student who was beaten up (to death) by his peers a few years ago just for being gay. Needless to say, we did not have the day of silence. Not in this rural Southern Baptist state!

I'm never moving to a southern state. New Mexico is bad enough (great weather though). Santa Fe is OK but in Albuquerque there are churches on just about every corner and everyone takes religion very seriously. I showed a co-worker this site yesterday and the minute I explained who Richard Dawkins was and what his philosophy is he backed away as if I had the pox.

The good thing about New Mexico is Governor Richardson. I wish he had been able to stay in the race. He's a great Governor and would have made a great President. Unfortunately the only votes he got were from New Mexicans. Hopefully he'll try again in 2012.

Other Comments by TeraBrat

47. Comment #196943 by Teratornis on June 20, 2008 at 4:27 pm

Maybe Ben Stein will feature John Freshwater in: Expelled! 2: the Burning.

The song they can pirate under fair use provisions this time could be Disco Inferno.

Other Comments by Teratornis

48. Comment #196945 by notsobad on June 20, 2008 at 4:33 pm

Jack Rawlinson

I sometimes swap the two. It's like when you have rubbish in one hand and something useful in the other and almost throw out the useful thing :/
corrected

Other Comments by notsobad

49. Comment #196947 by Teratornis on June 20, 2008 at 4:44 pm

Comment #196942 by TeraBrat:

I'm never moving to a southern state. New Mexico is bad enough (great weather though). Santa Fe is OK but in Albuquerque there are churches on just about every corner and everyone takes religion very seriously.

Well, how do you think religion takes over a place? Too many rational people are too timid to stay and explain all the logic errors of religion.

I showed a co-worker this site yesterday and the minute I explained who Richard Dawkins was and what his philosophy is he backed away as if I had the pox.

In military terms, this is a probing attack, to test the enemy's defenses. If one area looks well-defended, try probing another.

For example, you might show your friend:

http://whywontgodhealamputees.com/

But of course one must be careful at work. Let Christians be the ones to get fired for proselytizing. Unless, of course, you are getting paid at work to talk about Richard Dawkins.

One way to talk to Christians in general is to quote the Bible. They have been successfully brainwashed for years to automatically listen when someone quotes the Bible. Therefore, any argument you can construct out of Bible verses, they will automatically listen to. They may not buy your argument, but they will certainly listen to it.

Show them what Jesus says about his promises to give us anything we ask for, then ask your Christian friends how that's working out for them. Can they show that they are getting what they want with statistically demonstrable greater success than, say, the Satanists get what they want?

Ask your Christian friend to explain why praying for anything we know to be objectively impossible never works, even though Jesus plainly states it will work. Was Jesus wrong, or a liar? When the Bible clearly says something, does it actually mean the complete opposite? And if we can't understand what Jesus really means when he plainly says he will give us whatever we ask for, how can we be sure the Bible means what it says when it commands us to stone homosexuals and witches?

Other Comments by Teratornis

50. Comment #196948 by TeraBrat on June 20, 2008 at 4:48 pm

I can't quote the bible to Christians. I'm Jewish and I've never read the New Testament. I don't plan on polluting my brain with that nonsense.

No I don't get paid to talk about Richard Dawkins. I'm in a bit of a lull right now at work for various reasons. I suspect that in about two weeks I won't have time to log on here during the day.

Other Comments by TeraBrat

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