Doesn’t surprise me at all.  The over-the-top things being done in the name of religion these days is getting ridiculous. A good dose of reality, say 2 years in jail with ‘Bubba the Loveable” should teach the teacher a thing or two.

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At the end of the article Mr. Matolya says if he had a “If he had a Koran on his desk, he’d be fine and no one would say a word to him,”

Bull Crap!!!!!, The Christians in that town would be up in arms ranting and raving “keep church and state separate”.

Just like they would react if he had a copy of the God Delusion on his desk.

I thought they weren’t supposed to bear false witness?

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I suppose the positive thing to remove from this article is that the town is actually split. Frankly, I’d expect to see full support and a lack of respect for the governing laws of the country. Rather, they are actually debating and devout Christians have turned their back on the teacher. Moreover, those supporting him made some very stupid comments, further deepening the likelihood a positive outcome from the process for stable minded people.

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Distro: I agree with most of what you said, but prison rape is really not a joke.

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The parents of the kid who complained had to sell their house and move.

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The article says: “Mr. Freshwater, an eighth-grade public school science teacher, is accused of burning a cross onto the arms of at least two students […]”

A teacher, Lori Miller, who spoke before the Mount Vernon Board of Education back in 2008, about the allegation of the burn, said that she has also allowed students to touch the spark from the Tesla coil without incident: “I have never had a concern or an issue with it and I cannot honesty comprehend how that device can burn an individual as alleged.”

You can see a video of Miller’s comments on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Db560QnoQUE

The allegation of the burn is at most just an allegation. Actually, it was an issue that was officially resolved by the school in January 2008.
(See my article “Tesla Coil Matter Was Officially Resolved January 2008.”)

http://www.accountabilityinthemedia.com/2009/10/tesla-coil-matter-was-officially.html

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gregm766 said: “At the end of the article Mr. Matolya says if he had a ‘If he had a Koran on his desk, he’d be fine and no one would say a word to him,’    Bull Crap!!!!!, The Christians in that town would be up in arms ranting and raving ‘keep church and state separate’.”

When Thom Collier—at the time a state representative—spoke at a rally held in support of John Freshwater on the town square (5-18-08), he had this to say:

“I believe that when the smoke clears and the investigations are complete, we will still have one major question that lingers before us as a community and as a society. Can a teacher have a Bible—or a Koran, for that matter—on the corner of their desk? And for the record, yes, I have a Bible on the corner of my desk in the state house.[Applause] And if I could be so bold as to borrow a quote from Charlton Heston,‘Out of my cold, dead hands’.”

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