Chris Long, hosted the Bob Burney Radio Show on WRFD Radio 880 AM this afternoon. Long interviewed John Freshwater’s Pastor Don Matolyak, Trinity Assembly of God Church in Mount Vernon. During the interview Pastor Matolyk announced that at approximately 4:30 PM the Mount Vernon school board voted to recommend the termination of the teaching contract of John Freshwater with the school district. Mr. Freshwater has 10 days in which to appeal the termination once he receives the official notice by mail.
Again the only thing that I see Mr. Freshwater was guilty of was exercising his God-given First Amendment right to freely exercise his faith.
I see Mr. Freshwater’s case as a microcosm of the pitiful situation that exists in America today. As God, Jesus Christ and Christian influence are purged from our culture the culture declines, decays and eventually dies. That a man cannot express his religious beliefs anywhere and in any situation is outrageous and un-American.
I sincerely hope that Mr. Freshwater will bring suit against violation of HIS civil rights and once and for all settle the question of the erroneous separation of church and state.
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9:00 PM 6/20/08
ReplyDeleteThe Freshwater Firing was the Columbus Dispatch’s top story on its website this evening (9:00 PM). The writer was very biased in her writing. Her intent apparently was to make Freshwater look like a wild ogre. She succeeded.
The fact that he was well loved by many of his students through the years, the fact he was the favorite teacher of many students, the fact that he was named 2007 Teacher of the Year were not important. Only the fact that he was a practicing Christian and wanted to protect his right to have his personal Bible on his desk offended the writer as much as it did the apparently atheistic parents.
You can read the very biased account of the firing at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/06/20/freshwater_decision.html?sid=101
I think your statements are probably an insult to the many other practicing Christians that undoubtedly exist in the Mount Vernon School District. You know, the ones who understand that they cannot force their religion onto their students, unlike John Freshwater. Moreover, just because a man puts a Bible on his desk DOES NOT make him a Christian. For all we know, he may be just trying to fool you.
ReplyDeleteAnd there are two other points that could use some addressing. First of all, why is it that the high school teachers have complained that they basically have to reteach John Freshwater's students? Could it be that he's not teaching them the truth, but his religious beliefs? And second, what about the use of the tesla coil to burn the cross into the students' arms? Under the law, he had no right to do that, and in fact it's assault and battery. But hey, if it's done for "Jesus", apparently it's OK...
Oh yeah, and that Teacher of the Year thing...who gave him that award? Nobody can seem to find it. Please do let us all know. We're waiting.
As I understand the news stories, Freshwater does not 'believe' that the science facts included in the curriculum are true, does believe that they contradict his religious faith, and therefore does not adn will not teach them.
ReplyDeleteDisregarding whether he has a Bible on his desk or even whether he has fun by burning students, why in heaven's name would someone who does not 'believe in' science be competent to teach it? Surely the school board is not hiring English teachers who don't 'believe in' uniform spelling or history teachers who don't 'believe in' the texts which they teach. Why would they hire an anti-science teacher?
What is the matter with you? He assaulted students by BURNING a cross into their arms that remained there for weeks. Are you just ignoring that part of the story? The man has gone completely insane.
ReplyDeleteDont treat people like theyre idiots, you arent doing conservatives any favors by saying the only thing he is guilty of is being a christian. We all know he burned kids with an electric device, trying to throw the story by making him the victim is embarassing.
I can't believe you support burning a childs arm. He also is stated in the report that he lied. Is that a Christian thing to do?
ReplyDeleteyou sir are an idiot, get all the facts before you go praising a child abuser which is so very "christian"
ReplyDeleteI wonder how you'd like it if a teacher started carving pentagrams in students' arms with a razor blade.
ReplyDeleteJust exercising first amendment rights...right?
Anon @ !:28 AM and @ 9:50 AM -
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments.
The whole controversy started with Mr. Freshwater's refusal to remove his Bible from the top of his classroom desk when told to do so by his principal. This caused such a stir in the community and among the students and some parents that I think the school board was caught off guard with their pants down.
Then the cowardly school board started almost immediately to add charges to Mr. Freshwater's case. “This case is much more than the Bible on the desk.” Yes, that is true, it was about a man who dared to stand as a Christian and to practice is Christianity outside the sanctioned sanctuary . . .
I will expand on these comments, anons in a new post later today.