of teacher burns cross on student's arm. teacher reprimanded.

Teacher accused of burning cross on student's arm: John Freshwater, an eighth-grade science teacher for the past 21 years, accused of burning a cross into a student's arm.


Photo of the burnt cross.

School administrators in Ohio voted Friday to begin the process of firing a middle school teacher accused of burning a cross into a student's arm and refusing to keep his religious beliefs out of the classroom. The Mount Vernon School Board passed a resolution to terminate the employment of John Freshwater, an eighth-grade science teacher for the past 21 years. Freshwater, according to an independent report, used an electrostatic device to mark a cross on the arm of one of his students, causing pain to the student the night of the incident and leaving a mark that lasted for approximately three weeks.

The student's family has filed a lawsuit.