quote:

School administrators in Ohio voted Friday to begin the process of firing a middle school teacher accused of burning a cross into a student's arm and refusing to keep his religious beliefs out of the classroom.

The Mount Vernon School Board passed a resolution to terminate the employment of John Freshwater, an eighth-grade science teacher for the past 21 years.

Freshwater, according to an independent report, used an electrostatic device to mark a cross on the arm of one of his students, causing pain to the student the night of the incident and leaving a mark that lasted for approximately three weeks.

According to the Ohio Department of Education, the student's family has filed a lawsuit.

Freshwater was also reprimanded several times for refusing to move his Bible from his classroom desk and teaching creationism alongside evolution, according to the 15-page independent report. 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."

quote:

"Our rights are God-given rights. They are not 'constitutional' rights. Take some time and read the U.S. Constitution. You will see that it does not grant any rights to anyone. Instead, while setting up the federal government, the document (the first 10 amendments) also prohibits the government from interfering with various aspects of human freedom. The first 10 amendments limit what the government can do. They shouldn't be called the Bill of Rights; they should be called the Bill of Limitations."

Instead of claiming constitutional rights, citizens of the U.S. should proclaim their God-given rights, he said.

quote:

If a "Christian" teacher is fired for burning a cross into a student's arm, is that teacher a victim of religious persecution? Are his 1st Amendment rights being violated?

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Originally posted by SUNLINER81:
Why is it, that you always have some idiot show up and give us Christians a bad name? Do people honestly think that normal every day folks, by what ever standard is normal, who happen to be Christians, act like this?
Respectfully, SUNLINER81

quote:

Originally posted by OldArmyWOPA:

The cross burning act was sick, demented and unchristian. The guy should be treated with the same restrictions as sexual offender.

A teacher is allowed to have their Bible on their desk – at least it is so in Florida school.

This is, IMN2BHO, the way it is, or at least the way it should be.

quote:

It's fascinating that Christians who preach against a spirit of divisiveness actually back weird fundies like this tool.

quote:

Originally posted by Bleah:
There is a lot more to this story. there is a whole community up in arms one way or another about this guy.

http://cafephilos.wordpress.com/2008/06/20/the-firing-of-john-freshwater/

It's fascinating that Christians who preach against a spirit of divisiveness actually back weird fundies like this tool.

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Originally posted by OldArmyWOPA:

quote:

It's fascinating that Christians who preach against a spirit of divisiveness actually back weird fundies like this tool.

Joshua, I would feel a lot better about that statement if you said, "some Christians." I’m an evangelical-fundamental Christian and I've made my self clear on this issue.

quote:

Originally posted by SUNLINER81:
<SNIP> Third, what business is it, if a teacher keeps a copy of the Bible in his desk, as long as he or she isn't instructing from it, IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL...
Why is it, that you always have some idiot show up and give us Christians a bad name? Do people honestly think that normal every day folks, by what ever standard is normal, who happen to be Christians, act like this?
If this clod is branding kids in his charge, what other weird garbage has he pulled over the years? He should be investigated as a whacko, not a Christian...
Respectfully, SUNLINER81

quote:

Originally posted by Bleah:
There is a lot more to this story. there is a whole community up in arms one way or another about this guy.

http://cafephilos.wordpress.com/2008/06/20/the-firing-of-john-freshwater/

It's fascinating that Christians who preach against a spirit of divisiveness actually back weird fundies like this tool.

quote:

Originally posted by spcfcs:

quote:

Originally posted by Bleah:
There is a lot more to this story. there is a whole community up in arms one way or another about this guy.

http://cafephilos.wordpress.com/2008/06/20/the-firing-of-john-freshwater/

It's fascinating that Christians who preach against a spirit of divisiveness actually back weird fundies like this tool.

NO christian I know would support or defend this "tool".

quote:

Originally posted by sabow:

quote:

Originally posted by spcfcs:

quote:

Originally posted by Bleah:
There is a lot more to this story. there is a whole community up in arms one way or another about this guy.

http://cafephilos.wordpress.com/2008/06/20/the-firing-of-john-freshwater/

It's fascinating that Christians who preach against a spirit of divisiveness actually back weird fundies like this tool.

NO christian I know would support or defend this "tool".

It's not that Christians support or defend, it is that they remain silent when they all shoud be speaking up and denouncing this idiot.

quote:

Originally posted by Fightdirector:
Teacher accused of burning cross on student's arm

quote:

School administrators in Ohio voted Friday to begin the process of firing a middle school teacher accused of burning a cross into a student's arm and refusing to keep his religious beliefs out of the classroom.

The Mount Vernon School Board passed a resolution to terminate the employment of John Freshwater, an eighth-grade science teacher for the past 21 years.

Freshwater, according to an independent report, used an electrostatic device to mark a cross on the arm of one of his students, causing pain to the student the night of the incident and leaving a mark that lasted for approximately three weeks.

According to the Ohio Department of Education, the student's family has filed a lawsuit.

Freshwater was also reprimanded several times for refusing to move his Bible from his classroom desk and teaching creationism alongside evolution, according to the 15-page independent report. 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."

Teacher cites God-given rights

quote:

"Our rights are God-given rights. They are not 'constitutional' rights. Take some time and read the U.S. Constitution. You will see that it does not grant any rights to anyone. Instead, while setting up the federal government, the document (the first 10 amendments) also prohibits the government from interfering with various aspects of human freedom. The first 10 amendments limit what the government can do. They shouldn't be called the Bill of Rights; they should be called the Bill of Limitations."

Instead of claiming constitutional rights, citizens of the U.S. should proclaim their God-given rights, he said.

If a "Christian" teacher is fired for burning a cross into a student's arm, is that teacher a victim of religious persecution? Are his 1st Amendment rights being violated?

If a teacher who is an atheist burned a question mark into a student's arm and is fired for it, are his 1st Amendment rights being violated?

quote:

Originally posted by OldArmyWOPA:

quote:

It's fascinating that Christians who preach against a spirit of divisiveness actually back weird fundies like this tool.

Joshua, I would feel a lot better about that statement if you said, "some Christians." I’m an evangelical-fundamental Christian and I've made my self clear on this issue.

quote:

If you read the original article more closely, you will see that the bible was kept ON his desk, not in it, where his students could see it in the class room. This is a violation of school policy and only one of several issues that has warranted termination proceedings.