MOUNT VERNON — Pastor Stephen Zirkle was the first witness when the contract termination hearing for John Freshwater resumed Thursday. Zirkle is the individual for whom an alleged “healing session” was held following a Fellowship of Christian Athletes meeting at the Mount Vernon Middle School on March 18, 2008.
Zirkle, a frequent guest speaker at FCA meetings, said he had spoken to the group about Daniel and the lions’ den, and shared with the students that he was facing personal trials at that time. He said a student, not Freshwater, asked if he could pray for Zirkle, and several students placed their hands on him as prayers were said. Zirkle recalled that only that student and teacher Ruth Frady prayed for him at that time. He did not recall whether Freshwater had joined the circle of individuals around him, participated in the prayer of encouragement or ended the prayer session with “amen.” Upon cross-examination by school board attorney David Millstone, he said it is possible that Freshwater initiated the prayer.
Zirkle further testified as to how the FCA meetings were typically organized, with students calling to invite him to speak. He said Freshwater would observe and listen as Zirkle led the meetings.
The next witness was middle school health teacher Wesley Elifritz. He frequently attended FCA meetings, he said, and testified that the guest speaker led the meetings the majority of the time after a student introduced the guest. Elifritz said he has frequently seen a Bible on Freshwater’s desk, but never saw him read it when students were present. Elifritz also said he had some religious items in his own room, and just last week was asked to remove them. He said he did, as requested, take down a verse from Psalms 37, the Ten Commandments, a Maya Angel poem and some song lyrics.
Kelly Hamilton, Freshwater’s lawyer, also had Elifritz talk about academic content standards, supplemental materials and students’ response to Freshwater. He said he observed students calling “I love science” when they passed Freshwater’s room, and got the impression they both liked and respected him.
Andrew Thompson was Thursday’s third and final witness. Now an eighth-grade social studies teacher at the middle school, Thompson previously served as an intervention specialist, and in that role had occasion to accompany students to Freshwater’s science class. He is also a former student of Freshwater’s and regularly attended FCA meetings while a student and then as a teacher.
Thompson characterized Freshwater as a dynamic teacher who is passionate about what he does. Thompson said he never heard Freshwater speak about religion in class and never heard him discuss intelligent design or creationism in class. He said Freshwater’s teaching methods got students engaged and excited about science.
Regarding FCA, Thompson explained how the meetings were conducted and said Freshwater did not take an active role. He also testified that when a student complained to Freshwater about having to have permission slips to attend FCA, he (Freshwater) told the students “We have to follow what the school is telling us to do.”
When he was a student, Thompson said, Freshwater did not use the high-frequency generator with his class. Intervention specialist Thompson was present when Freshwater demonstrated the device and touched students with it. He said the students were excited about the experiment and that none complained or acted scared when Freshwater would hold the volunteer by the bottom of the hand or wrist to position the arm to be marked. Thompson also said he never saw a mark as red or as long as the one supposedly depicted in the Dennis photos.
Hamilton asked Thompson questions about academic content standards and supplemental materials, and had him explain the importance of Ohio Achievement Test scores. Thompson also compared the scores of Freshwater’s science students with other science students’ test results. Freshwater’s students scored higher, he said, and that data does not support the allegations that Freshwater’s students needed to be retaught in high school.
Thompson also explained why he felt compelled to go to the school board when the HR on Call investigation report came out. He listed five major reasons, and detailed why he felt the report is inaccurate, incomplete and one-sided.
“I didn’t want a good man and a good teacher to be falsely accused,” he told Hamilton.
The hearing was originally scheduled to resume today but was canceled Thursday night. The hearing is tentatively scheduled to resume on May 7.
