Religious News - Parents say teacher branded cross on son

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Parents say teacher branded cross on son

An Ohio couple says that a science teacher brought his religious beliefs into the classroom to the point of branding a cross on their son's arm.

The parents have filed a lawsuit against the teacher, John Freshwater, and the Mount Vernon school district, The Columbus Dispatch reports. They claim that Freshwater also told his students that intelligent design was true.

"Mr. Freshwater advised his students that although he is forced to teach from the textbooks, the teachings are wrong or not proven according to the Bible," the suit states.

The parents say that Freshwater used a piece of electrical equipment to etch a cross on their son in December. When they complained, the district responded by telling the teacher not to do anything similar in the future.

Administrators began cracking down on the teacher only after the parents hired a lawyer, the suit says.

The district says it has launched its own investigation and expects to release a report on Friday.

In April, after Freshwater agreed to remove most religious items from his classroom but refused to move a Bible off his desk, students rallied to support him.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.

This news arrived on: 06/20/2008

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Posted Comments:

06-25-2008 15:38

The Lioness wrote:

Assault!

What's to investigate? This child was ASSAULTED!

This man should be put in jail!

Religion aside, what he did was assault and child abuse!

Geez!

~The Lioness

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06-24-2008 09:41

chris wrote:

branding

This is what I cannot stand about some, not all, organized religion. The bible is clear on branding and/or tatooing. It is against the law of God and yet it is done by those professing to be preachers/teachers of the bible. Don't get me started on idolatry in the catholic church.

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06-20-2008 13:41

lorna wrote:

cross

this teacher had no right to disfigure anyone regardless of his religious beliefs.

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06-20-2008 12:52

Teresa wrote:

Facts

This is a sad representation of what our country is all about now. Greed...

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