MOUNT VERNON — Jim Stockdale is on the stand this morning during the termination hearing of former Mount Vernon Middle School science teacher John Freshwater.

Stockdale, a witness for the Mount Vernon Board of Education who was unavailable earlier in the proceedings, said that as a substitute intervention specialist, he observed Freshwater’s class during a unit that explored the origins of the Earth.

In one of those observations, Freshwater referenced an article in Time Magazine that discussed a genetic link with homosexuality. According to News reporter Pam Schehl, Stockdale said Freshwater told the class the article proved scientists can be wrong because the bible says homosexuality is a sin. Because scientists were wrong in this instance, Freshwater said they could be wrong on other things, Stockdale said.