John Freshwater #fundie 10tv.com

Mount Vernon City Schools announced Tuesday that it will launch an independent investigation into allegations made against an eighth-grade science teacher by parents.

According to a complaint, John Freshwater used an electrostatic device to burn crosses onto students’ arms. One of the students said that the pain was so severe that it prevented him from sleeping at night.
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"The cross-burning happened during an eighth-grade science class," Philemon said. "It happened with a science machine that uses an electric shock to cause a burn, and the teacher chose to burn a cross onto John Doe's forearm."

Philemon said parents complained to the district after the alleged incident in December 2007.

10TV News reported last week that Freshwater agreed to take down the Ten Commandments from the door of his classroom, along with posters containing Bible verses and Bibles on a shelf. However, he refused to remove a Bible from his desk.

The complaint charges that Freshwater used his classroom to advance religion in violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. In a recent class, it was charged that Freshwater taught the meaning of Good Friday and Easter.

“The allegations against Mr. Freshwater are very serious,” said Steve Short, the school superintendent. “This is not about his personal Bible on his desktop. It is about the totality of his conduct.”

According to the district, there were also allegations that Freshwater conducted prayers and engaged in a “healing session” as part of a Fellowship of Christian Athletes meeting.

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