An Ohio school teacher of over 20 years has come under attack recently by school administrators because of a Bible that he has kept on his desk for his entire career.
Earlier this week, instructor John Freshwater was notified by the school’s principal that he would have to remove both a tapestry of the 10 Commandments and his Bible from the classroom in line with what the principal said was the establishment of religion clause which bars religion from the classroom.
Although Freshwater agreed to remove the 10 Commandments, he stood firm on keeping his Bible which he said governed his entire set of values and beliefs – values and beliefs that were protected by the constitution, he said.
“The removal of it (the Bible) will be nothing short of the infringement on my deeply held religious beliefs,” he said in a statement, according to the conservative Focus on the Family’s Citizenlink, which monitors attacks on Christianity.
“Discrimination against religions and religious views is un-American. In a land where we treasure free speech rights, no force or forces have the right to expel from the public forum those who have views with which they disagree. It is what has made America free,” he explained.
School officials representing the school district, however, issued a statement of their own.
District officials don't oppose religion but are required "under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution to protect against the establishment of religion in the schools. As a public school system the district cannot teach, promote or favor any religion or religious beliefs,” they wrote in their statement, according to The Columbus Dispatch.
Supporters and longtime associates of Freshwater, however, argued that throughout his entire career he had never once tried to preach or teach from the Bible while in the classroom.
And most recently, in an act of solidarity with the well liked science teacher – and defiance towards school administrators – students throughout the school have announced the beginning of what they called “take-your-Bible-to-school day."
Dave Daubenmire, spokesman for Freshwater, summarized the recent events as yet another development in the ongoing war against Christianity.
"Please notice that the attack on religious freedom in America is on Christianity. No one is trying to silence the religious freedom of Muslims or atheists or humanists. Quite the contrary. We are told to 'understand' Muslims, to be sensitive to the atheists and to tolerate the humanists and their various denominations of 'isms' (environmentalism, feminism, secularism, socialism, communism), which we teach openly in our schools,” he wrote in an entry for WorldNetDaily.
Freshwater has said that he would argue his case in court if necessary.
Comments
I'm just ready for Jesus Christ to come back. Also, would like to see the God-ruled government He will establish on earth.
Why is science so scared of the Bible? It can just sit there on the desk and it's a problem! As for the teaching of creation...there is no court ruling saying a teacher cannot participate in a discussion of alternate theorys provided it is not "preaching the gospel" for say.
The Anti Christ Liberties Union wants us to believe they are about diversity. Why is it that people who cry diversity have Christianity off in time out? That's not diversity. That's prejudice. The school district has no place to respect the establishment of humanism (which uses evolution the same way creation is tied to Christianity).
The Bible was the backbone of English and grammer instruction in the classroom for over 100 years. The classroom and school libraries are filled with books filling our kids with relativism at its core... That teacher should keep the Bible on his desk. That Bible is a reminder there is only 1 Truth..... You either stand for something or you stand for nothing... and in standing for everything you still stand for nothing.
As a Christian, I understand the need to keep my Bible. But I do not lay it out at work because it is against policy, I do keep it with me though. I do not want religion of any kind taught in schools because under law we would have to teach them all. I do not wany my tax dollars being used to promote Hari Krishnas, Wiccans, Islam, paganism or any number of beliefs. Nor do I want one of their texts lying on the teacher's desk. This teacher may have thought he was doing some good, but there are often unintended consequences associated with defiance of policy.
Let's suppose that the US decides that Christianity is the official religion through legislation and court decisions. How long do you think it would take for people to go at each other on which denomination is the correct one? Look at the posts between Protestants and Catholics on this site for beginners, then if its Protestant which one is it?
I do not want to live in a theocracy. Because it wouldn't take long before someone decided the only correct religion, and persecuted all others. If you want to be a Christian, then be one. Inspire others to become Christians through your attitude, behavior and adherence to teachings of Christ.
I don't imagine any of you have heard the rest of the case against this man. I am not a believer, but I DO NOT think he should be fired for simply keeping a Bible on his desk, a passive statement at most. However, he should be fired for attempting to teach creationism in a science class, which I remind you is not constitutional, and for BURNING A CROSS ON STUDENT'S ARMS with an electric device while "teaching about electricity." This comes from an impartial source, Mt. Vernon News. The people who reported it were Christians who were rightly offended and disturbed by his actions. I urge you to read the rest of the story before defending this man.
http://www.mountvernonnews.com/local/08/04/22/freshwater_upd.html
regardless of the fact that the ACLU will fight the school to disallow any part of religion in school, it is this teachers personal constitutional right to have a bible in the classroom with him. He should sue the school for violation of his first amendment rights...
endo14,
I would like to point out that as I already mentioned America was founded on the Bible, if you disagree, fine – it at least had a major influence on the founders. The KKK and Nazism were not even around at the founding of America. Suffice it to say that neither one has a remote connection in the philosophical roots of America, but they are in fact diametrically opposed. Playboy is still debated as to whether it constitutes art or moral depravity in the courts. There are laws that consider the mere exposure of minors to sexually explicit material as actual sexual abuse. These examples do not provide the argument that you are trying to make. Perhaps it would be more of an equivalent for a science teacher to display Darwin’s Black Box. Now that could be dangerous to your profession!
Please refrain from censoring comments that are not derogatory. What good is a Christian witness if you are incapable of engaging non-believers in dialogue, except for running over them in the same way that Muslims (at least in my experience) and other religious persuasions that have nothing intelligent to bring to the table. Peter said, be ready to give an answer, he did not say talk over them. I understand that many Christians would like to have an 'in house' chat among them selves, without contention but no one is forcing you to read Agent's comments. Just ignore him if you want a relaxing chat.
I have relatives in the Mt Vernon area and I find it interesting that a Christian pastor was visited by the FBI in southern Illinois on account of a sermon series that he was delivering based in part on Sodom and Gomorrah.
There was a time when formal education mandated Bible teaching, but America (albeit as ‘Christian’ as it is) no longer needs God or wants to be bothered by such primitive principles contained therein, regardless of the irreprehensible immorality that government schools have grown accustomed to these days. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyAhbbjaZ34 & http://www.clashradio.com/column.html
It was Thomas Jefferson himself who gave the order for the government to print and supply schools with Bibles for use in educating students. Without a moral foundation it is a certain demise that holds the future of this oldest democracy on planet earth in the balances. While I am not advocating religious indoctrination as far as teaching students what to believe, I think that it is however imperative to have a basis of morality, one that America was founded on.
agentorangex, I am curious what you wrote. How could the separation of powers be abusive, spam, offensive, illegal, racist, or libelous? Perhaps incorrect, but not flagable surely?
Gee, what a suprise. I make a single comment about the distinction of the seperations of powers as by our constituion in the 1st article and I am immediately cenosored. Discraceful.
Jesus said, " they hated me, they will hate you also." It's all about jesus. True Christanity is about following Jesus Christ.
Canada, For the most part has outlawed God and the Preaching of the Bible. America is attempting to do the samething.
Unless there is a genuine revival within the Church all will be lost. As the Church goes so too the Nation and the People.
Pray for Revival while there is yet time.
This is not about seperation of church and state. It is about following poicy. Here is a copy of Mount Vernon's policy and it states that the district does not allow "devotional exercises or displays of a religious character,". The teacher also had the 10 commandments posted, Bibles stacked on a book shelf, posters with Bible verses on them and he removed or took them down. Why not just put the Bible in his desk drawer? They are not saying he can't have the Bible in the school or read from it during breaks or lunch, but it must be out of sight when class is in session...where is the debate? What if it was something more offensive?? Playboy, KKK literature, NAZI material, what would you all say then?
ProfessorX,
every heard of the 1st article regarding seperation of powers regarding religion and govt. ? This isn't a theocracy, if you want theoricracy so bad, go to Iran, Iraq, Saudia Arabia or some other horrid, repressive country.
this makes me think, as a 22 year old who grew up going to public school, i thinkink, that if i have kids some day, they will be home schooled. I was raised in a United methodist family, and i do belive my parents taught me great values however a lot of who i am today reflects the things i learned about "normal" society through 4 years of highschool, and 4 years of college. I kept faith in Jesus all my life, but i never hung out with the good christian kids especialy during college, i got a good taste of living in the "world",about 3 months ago i feel was the first time i TRUELY let the Holy Spirt guide my life, it got out of controle, and God has been the only one to bring it back. I LOVE my unsaved friends, but since my awakening, im very isolated, im not the same, its hard to find Christian friends to help you out in times of need after you spend 8 years with people who care only about worldly things. I often wonder if it would be different if i was home schooled, or went to a Christian School. All i know is I've done my best to impack the lost, I planted alot of seeds, dinned with devils, and as graduation approaches I hope i find better people to surround myself with in the future. I hope my children never come as close to drowning in the wolrd as i did... its getting harder each day these to be a Christian Teen/Young Adult, The youth need Jesus, more than ever.