MOUNT VERNON — After an extended executive session Tuesday morning, the Mount Vernon City Schools Board of Education and administration decided to have an independent party investigate allegations made against eighth-grade science teacher John Freshwater.
In a public rally last week, Freshwater said the school administration’s directive to remove a personal Bible from his desk was an abridgment of his First Amendment rights, and refused to comply with the order. On Friday, students held a rally in support of Freshwater and his stance for displaying his Bible.
In a press release issued Tuesday afternoon, Superintendent Steve Short said, “The allegations against Mr. Freshwater are very serious. This is not about his personal Bible on his desktop. It is about the totality of his conduct.”
One of the complaints was that Freshwater used an electrostatic device to burn crosses onto students’ arms.
The News received a fax Tuesday from attorney Jessica Philemond of the law firm Isaac, Brant, Ledman & Teetor, who issued a statement from her clients, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of their child being retaliated against.
The fax stated, “We are religious people, but we were offended when Mr. Freshwater burned a cross onto the arm of our child. This was done in science class in December 2007, where an electric shock machine was used to burn our child. The burn was severe enough that our child awoke that night with severe pain, and the cross remained there for several weeks. ... We have tried to keep this a private matter and hesitate to tell the whole story to the media for fear that we will be retaliated against.”
In the fax, the parents said the issue is not about Freshwater having his personal Bible, which they do not oppose, but about the violation of laws and defiance of school policy.
Short said it is alleged that Freshwater used his classroom to advance religion and that he teaches his own beliefs from the Bible and not the approved curriculum. In the fax, the parents also said, “We are Christians who practice our faith where it belongs, at church and in our home and, most importantly, outside the public classroom, where the law requires a separation of church and state.”
There are also allegations that Freshwater has conducted prayers and engaged in a healing session in his capacity as as monitor for a Fellowship of Christian Athletes meeting. According to Short, the FCA is a non-school sponsored religious club and federal law prohibits school employees from actively participating. Middle school principal Bill White has been directed to remove Freshwater as a monitor to the club.
According to Short, Freshwater has acknowledged he may have engaged inappropriately as a participant rather than a monitor during FCA meetings.
While the independent investigation is being conducted, an administrator will be in the classroom with Freshwater, monitoring his activities to ensure board policy is followed and students’ rights are protected.
“As a public school system,” Short said, we “cannot teach, promote or favor any religion or religious beliefs. Our obligation is not to endorse or establish any religion under the First Amendment, but we have an obligation to protect our students’ rights. We are hoping that an independent investigation will get to the truth of the allegations so we can make appropriate decisions as to what should be done going forward.”
Short declined to comment as to why the allegations against Freshwater were not made public sooner. Calls to the attorney for further comments were not returned as of press time.
Print
Digg
Reddit
Yahoo
Google
Del.icio.us
NewsVine
Facebook
Technorati
Mixx