Days 9 & 10 of the John Freshwater Inquisition

Righting First Amendment Wrongs

The John Freshwater contract hearing resumed on Tuesday and continued through Friday of this week. See my previous articles and comments regarding this case, including the first eight days of the hearing, which were held last October and restarted on Tuesday of this week.

Both the largely liberal Columbus Dispatch and the local Mount Vernon News newspapers have consistently had reporters present during the four days of hearings this week. Since I was not present I am relying on those accounts for much of the background information. One of the writers, Richard Hoppe, on the Panda’s Thumb weblog has also had a series of articles which have covered much of the hearings. He has also been present during the hearings.

This case is all about whether our government schools really want our children to learn or whether they are more interested in indoctrinating our children to a particularly politically correct, agenda-driven liberal worldview. Why else would they be so adamant in getting rid of an outstanding teacher, one who was loved by his students and one who in turn loved his students? Why is it seemingly illegal or “’disastrously unfair’ to science students” or “very damaging to learning process” or “damaging to science education” to challenge or even question the deeply flawed theory of evolution in the public classroom? The movie, Expelled, sheds light on the answer to that question.

The Darwin’s evolution theory is itself unscientific, yet it is touted to be the end-all and be-all. Why is the educational bureaucracy so afraid of any threat to evolution explanation for life exclusivity? Because that construct is foundational to the destructive, godless, secular humanistic, liberal philosophical worldview. The educational elite and the leftists, social engineers and the Marxists in America see the transformation of the thinking of our children as key to complete takeover of America. Evidence the results of the November election. We elected a thoroughly unprepared, Marxist-oriented, political pawn of the George Soros’ MoveOn.org mindset, who tricked the populace into thinking he would bring change and would offer hope for the future. All that he will bring will be the Jimmy Carter failed policies that will lead to the eventual destruction of America as we know it.

DAY 9

According to the Mount Vernon News reporter Pamela Schehl, there were three witnesses on Thursday, Day 9 of the Freshwater contract hearing. All three witnesses testified regarding the handouts which Mr. Freshwater used in his science class, which they all felt denigrated the theory of evolution. All three witnesses supported the school board’s position. The school board’s attorney had 7th grade science teacher Bill Oxenford demonstrate the use of the Tesla coil for the hearing referee and those present. Oxenford had used this same devise as a teaching aid in the past, however, he stated he had not used it for at least 10 years. He felt that it was too dangerous.

On a very positive note, the Columbus Dispatch article covering Day 9 reported that Oxenford conceded that “Freshwater's class scored higher than the other science classes despite having the highest number of special needs students.” So how much of a deterrent or detriment to learning was the questioning of evolution by Mr. Freshwater?

DAY 10

According to the Mount Vernon News’ Pamela Schehl, “Dr. Patricia Princehouse, lecturer in philosophy and evolutionary biology at Case Western Reserve University, was Friday’s sole witness.” Princehouse also provided an analysis of the handouts, which Mr. Freshwater used in his science classes. She she opined that the handout were “inappropriate.” In essence she stated that any reference or explanation of origins using Intelligent Design (ID) and Creationism would not be scientific. If those two explanations for the origin of life and natural order are not acceptable science, than neither is evolution.

The Dispatch reporter, Dean Narciso, pointed out that Princehouse testified when the Ohio Department of Education was deciding whether to permit public schools to teach "intelligent design" six years ago. Her bias and position was clear, she was an adamant support of evolution. She claimed that ID and Creationism were “religious” and not scientific explanation. Again, I contend that evolution, too, is a religious (secular-humanist man-is-god religion).

It seems to me that the school board has waged a costly battle against Freshwater. Engaging an expert witness such as Princehouse surely must cost a pretty penny.

The hearing is scheduled to continue next Wednesday through Friday.

RESOURCES

Mount Vernon News Articles: Day 9, Day 10
Columbus Dispatch Articles: Day 9, Day 10
Support Freshwater website: http://supportfreshwater.com/
Panda's Thumb blog: http://pandasthumb.org/