For Homework: Discuss Why Evolution Can't Explain People Who Cling To Irrational Beliefs Despite Evidence

A while back we told you about John Freshwater a Middle School science teacher in Ohio and his rather unique classroom management technique of branding students. "It helps me learn their names faster," he told reporters. Apparently, some parents had problems with permanent disfigurement of their children and complained to the school board who promptly told Freshwater to stop teaching creationism in his science classes.

Oh, did we mention he's a science teacher who doesn't believe in science? Yeah, there's that too.

Anyway, long story short, the school board voted unanimously to fire him back in June. End of story.

Or so we thought.

Freshwater, 52, has vehemently denied branding anyone and insists he teaches evolution. "I teach that it's wrong and you'll go to hell if you believe it, but at least I teach it," he said. In a brief interview, Freshwater claimed the investigation into his activities is "biased." When asked to explain what he mean by that, Freshwater said it had been obvious "from day one that all the school cares about is me teaching science. How one sided is that?"

All this is prelude to an August 26 hearing at which a referee will consider the board's recommendation that Freshwater, who has been suspended without pay, be fired. "We would have had all this wrapped up by now," said one school board member. "But Freshwater challenged the call and the ref wanted to see the replay."

The alleged branding occurred last December during a classroom science experiment. Freshwater was using an electrostatic device common in science classroom demonstrations. Freshwater told investigators, according to an independent probe, that students often ask if they could touch the device, which carries high voltage but low current. "I felt it was my duty as a teacher to let kids hurt themselves if they wanted to," Freshwater said.

The alleged branding has overshadowed a more complex story of religious beliefs and public education. Freshwater supporters argue that religious freedom is on trial here, along with the teacher. "Why should a science teacher be limited to teaching science?" asked one Freshwater supporter. "Why can't he also teach stuff that has nothing to do with science? What's happened to freedom of speech in this country?"

"This is about the safety and well-being of students and protecting their constitutional rights to get an education," said David Millstone, who represents the school board.

"Education? That's not why I send my child to school," responded a parent supporting Freshwater. And what's the Constitution got to do with this? There's no mention of the Constitution in the bible."

Lori Miller, a mathematics teacher at the middle school, said Freshwater is being singled out for his religious beliefs. Miller said she keeps a Bible on her desk and, like Freshwater, has posters on her classroom walls with religious themes. "Of course I don't burn my students or tell them they're going to hell if they believe in algebra, so that could be a difference," she conceded.

For Homework, Outline Leviticus

Full disclosure: We were not the type of students our Instructional Technicians looked forward to seeing each day. Not that we were bad...well, there was the Levi Ben Hur episode that sent the sub back to rehab...and there was the time we learned that applying voltage to a frog's leg could make it move so we tried it on Sally Konkolevski's...er...derriere. Then there was the unfortunate combination of super glue and our History teacher's desk drawers. OK, maybe we were bad, but that's not the point. One of the reasons we were so emboldened was we knew our teachers couldn't do half of what they would have liked to have done to us without incurring the wrath of the authorities. Times, apparently, have changed.

The parents of a Mount Vernon boy who says his science teacher branded a cross on his arm have sued the teacher and the school board.

Now, when we first read that we thought, Man! Talk about your innovative discipline techniques. The only downside is he seems to be mixing church and state. Well, that and assault. So we're thinking, if fourth graders get arrested and taken away in handcuffs for throwing a tantrum, this guy's about to have a big o' can a law and order opened up on his evangelical behind.

The boy's parents complained to school administrators, who say they told Freshwater not to do it again.

Oh. Well...um...that's works too.

In addition to the branding incident, Freshwater is accused of teaching the "theory" of intelligent design to his eighth-grade science class even though the district ordered him not to in 2003, the lawsuit says. "We're talking eighth grade here," said the principal. "It's not like anyone was listening to him."

Mr. Freshwater advised his students that although he is forced to teach from the textbooks, the teachings are wrong or not proven according to the Bible.

Where'd this guy get his science degree? The Pat Robertson College of Chemical and Hormonal Imbalance?

School administrators knew that Freshwater disregarded their instructions, but they allowed him to continue teaching and never disciplined him even after the branding. "Well, duh," said an administration spokesperson. "The guy brands his students for crying out loud. We weren't sure what he was capable of. You want to be the one to tell him he's fired?"

Freshwater told his students they could earn extra credit in his class if they watched the film Expelled, which mocks the theory of evolution. The assignment directed students to “ explain why it is important to examine this objectively and not let bias affect your observations."

"We figured out why the film was biased," said one student who asked not to be identified. "But we weren't sure that's what Mr. Freshwater was looking for."

Although the school district placed a monitor in Freshwater's classroom, Freshwater still tried to impose his Christian beliefs on students, according to the lawsuit and letters from the family's attorney, Jessica Philemond.

Attempts to contact the monitor, the Reverend Billie Bob of the Church of Jesus of the Tattoed Forearm were unsuccessful.