A fight for religious freedom in the classroom (OneNewsNow.com)

A fight for religious freedom in the classroom (OneNewsNow.com)


A Christian teacher in a public school is being hailed as "a hero of the faith."

John Freshwater, an eighth-grade teacher in Ohio, filed suit this week against the Mount Vernon City School District and district officials, claiming they violated his free-speech and civil rights when he was released. The $1-million lawsuit claims he was fired by the district last year over accusations that he preached Christianity in class. He also says he was harassed because of his religion and was discriminated against because of his involvement with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.



Finn Laursen is executive director of Christian Educators Association International, of which Freshwater is a member.
"I am pleased to see a public school teacher like John Freshwater willing to go outside his comfort zone and fight for the religious freedoms our forefathers guaranteed is through the U.S. Constitution," says Laursen. "It is imperative that all Christian educators, students, and parents be willing to step forward to insist on their rights -- or those rights will slowly be forfeited.

"John is proving to be a hero of the faith," he adds.

In firing Freshwater, the Mount Vernon school board cited an internal investigation that found he had preached his Christian beliefs in class. Freshwater, a teacher for 24 years, was also accused of using a scientific device to burn a cross image onto a student's arm and of keeping a Bible on his desk.