Branding For Jesus – Update II

-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger

We have previously discussed John Freshwater, a controversial teacher in Mount Vernon, Ohio, who used a Tesla coil to  brand crosses into the arm of a 7th grade student, here and updated his story, here.

The Mount Vernon School Board has voted, 4 to 1, to fire middle school science teacher John Freshwater.

After a hearing that lasted two years, a state-appointed referee addressed four grounds:

• Using the tesla coil to mark the shape of a cross on students’ arms.
• Failure to adhere to the established curriculum.
• Participation in (rather than passive monitoring of) Fellowship of Christian Athletes activities.
• Disobedience of Orders (insubordination).

Mount Vernon taxpayers will have to spend over $900,000 on this proceeding. The board must pay $813,628 to the school’s attorney, David Millstone, a Cleveland lawyer with Squires Sanders and Dempsey who specializes in employment law.

It is unknown if Freshwater will appeal.

H/T: Panda’s Thumb, The Columbus Dispatch.