Teacher Who Branded Students Fired

He slammed evolution, burned crosses onto 8th-graders' arms

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Jun 21, 2008 8:20 AM CDT

(Newser) – An Ohio school board has voted unanimously to fire a science teacher who used an electrostatic device to brand 8th-graders with a cross, the AP reports. Science teacher John Freshwater, who says the marks were simply Xs, had been in trouble with the board before for teaching creationism, slamming evolution and other scientific theories, and keeping a Bible on his desk.

School board investigators said that Freshwater's students often had to be re-taught science when they got to high school. A friend of the popular teacher defended him. "With the exception of the cross-burning episode, I believe John Freshwater is teaching the values of the parents in the Mount Vernon school district," he told the Columbus Dispatch.

In this photo released by the city school district in Mount Vernon, Ohio, a student shows a marked arm. (AP Photo/Mount Vernon City Schools)

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creationism • school • branding • science education • middle school • teacher

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

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More Newser Stories

Teacher Fights for Job After Quip About Deadly Field Trip

It was a frustrating day, says teacher

Teacher Wins $225K After Losing Voice

Vocal chords damaged after working in noisy classroom

Teacher Tackles Gunman in Student Attack

2 shot before math instructor leaps on shooter

Brits Launch Classroom 'Terror Watch'

Teachers asked to watch out for extremist students

Young Teachers Finding Big Trouble Online

Facebook, MySpace pages test boundaries between public, private

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Newser By Users

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