Mount Vernon News
 
 
Read the complaint below
Read the complaint below (Photo by Submitted Photo)

By Mount Vernon News
October 19, 2011 11:07 am EDT

 

MOUNT VERNON — After his firing by the Mount Vernon City Schools was upheld in January, John Freshwater filed a charge of religious discrimination against the school district’s board of education.

In the filing with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, Freshwater quoted contract termination hearing referee R. Lee Shepherd: “John Freshwater’s bias grew from his fervent and deep-seated Christian beliefs. Such beliefs and convictions, while admirable character traits in other settings, proved to be John Freshwater’s downfall as an eighth-grade science teacher in a public school.”

Freshwater also stated he was suspended without pay in June 2008, “because of not removing my Bible sitting on my desk.”

The Civil Rights Commission conducted an investigation and found no credible information supporting Freshwater’s allegation of unlawful activity. It issued a letter of determination stating there is no probable cause to believe the school board engaged in unlawful discriminatory practice and ordered the matter to be dismissed.


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