Teacher Accused Of Burning Crosses Onto Students' Arms (Story Followup)

[The Straight Story]

Teacher Accused Of Burning Crosses Onto Students' Arms
Tuesday, April 22, 2008 3:17 PM

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio — 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.

Attorney Jessica Philemon said her client was one of the students involved. She referred to the student as John Doe, 10TV's Tanisha Mallett reported.

"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.

http://www.10tv.com/live/content/local/stories/2008/04/22/freshwater_investigation.html?sid=102

Update to this:

Student Backs Teacher In Fight To Keep Bible On Desk
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3174438

[Mojambo]

1. Okay, so my Algebra teacher wasn't so bad I guess. n/t

[tkmorris]

2. So this is the same teacher?