Freshwater: Back and Forth on the Admonishment
As I posted in March, the Ohio Department of Education issued a Letter of Admonishment to John Freshwater (PDF of the letter) for using a Tesla coil on middle school students.
Freshwater, through his attorney R. Kelly Hamilton, objected to the Letter of Admonishment. In a lengthy (188 page PDF!) objection, he argued that the local district's action settled the issue, that Zachary Dennis was lying in his testimony, and that the Letter of Admonishment was "erroneous, defamatory and unwarranted." (Mount Vernon News story.)
The Dennis family recently filed a rebuttal (PDF) arguing not only for the retention of the Letter of Admonishment but also that Freshwater's teaching certificate (which expired last year) should not be renewed. (Mount Vernon News story.)
Still pending are Freshwater's appeal of his termination in the Knox County Court of Common Pleas and his complaints to the Ohio Civil Rights Commission and to the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. I have no information on their progress (or lack thereof).
22 Comments
CMB · 20 May 2011
I suppose that if Freshwater and Hamilton rapture tomorrow, it will render all these hearings, suits and complaints moot.
I would dearly love to see the Dennis family sue Freshwater for libel for calling their son a liar. IIRC Freshwater also called Zac Dennis a liar on a radio show. It would be nice to see Freshwater and Hamilton suffer some consequences for all their actions.
robert van bakel · 20 May 2011
How does this man live? Where does he get the income to, a.) hire a moron, and pay him for years, b.) keep public his absurdities c.)challenge and re-challenge decisions made against him?
Is he feeding his family on one meal a day? Has he killed the family dog,cat,horse, and sells the meat as gourmet rabbit or something? How does this twisted tit exist in a world where money is the only way to define ones self? Sorry, I can't think of a modern equivalent of van Gogh, you know, some one driven by vision and passion alone, with no hope of material gain. Wait a minute, could this be Freshwater, our modern societies equivalent of van Gogh? Maybe the world should end tomorrow!
mario · 21 May 2011
Why was freshwater terminated? If I recall correctly the other kids said that things did not happen according to hamilton's exagerated version but the tesla coil incident did happen and he was actually fired for not following a direct order; but I don't remember this incident being mentioned later on....is that their grounds to call Zacchary a lier?.....I thought both Freswater and Hamilton got away relatively unharmed, I hope they finally piss off the right judge.
DS · 21 May 2011
Where does Freshwater get the money? Well let's see, he probably goes to every local church with his hat out asking for donations to do the work of the lord. Then he uses the money to cover up the fact that he abused children, violated the constitution of the United States, preached to his class instead of teaching them science and lied about it all under oath. And of course he never has to report any of the donations as income. So I guess he has pretty much unlimited resources with no oversight as to how he spends the money. In short, litigation has become his livelihood, at taxpayers expense. This is just the kind of thing that give all religion a bad name.
Ichthyic · 22 May 2011
This is just the kind of thing that give all religion a bad name.
yeah, I'm sure atheists are paying him to be a total ass.
I got news for ya:
it takes a lot of work to warp a religion so it ISN'T insane.
and even then, if you belong to it... how do you go about checking to make sure you haven't lost track?
no way I can see.
hence:
40 thousand xian sects at last count.
DaveL · 22 May 2011
Paul Burnett · 22 May 2011
RBH · 22 May 2011
DS · 22 May 2011
RBH wrote:
"Hamilton believes he’s acting under God’s instructions. See here for his view:"
Why didn't god stop Freshwater from abusing his students?
Why didn't god stop the kid from suing?
Why didn't god stop Freshwater from being fired?
Why didn't god protect the computer with all of the billing records?
Why didn't god do anything about anything?
John Vanko · 22 May 2011
Flint · 22 May 2011
I wonder how long anyone would continue taking advice from a god who failed to ratify one's own opinions and preferences? I wonder if anyone has ever prayed to such a god even once.
MaryM · 22 May 2011
Freshwater's house and property are/were for sale. Too bad that at his age, when his house should be nearly paid off, he has gotten himself into such a bad financial situation. And I seriously doubt that in these economic times he is raking in enough in donations to pay his bills. http://hotpads.com/real-estate/7760-New-Delaware-Road-Mount-Vernon-OH-43050--3wx7zbswpn7tv#lat=40.371173&lon=-82.609537&zoom=20&previewId=3wx7zbswpn7tv&previewType=listing&detailsOpen=true&listingTypes=sale,newHome,foreclosure,auction&pricingFrequency=once&loan=30,0.0525,0
MaryM · 22 May 2011
Sorry, that real estate listing doesn't work. Here's the address if you want to look it up: 7760 New Delaware Road, Mount Vernon, Ohio 43050
DavidK · 22 May 2011
Maybe on Freshwater's quest for religious sainthood and martyrdom he's hoping that he'll find a wider audience and a legal group with deeper pockets who'll sponsor a crusading defender to come to his aid.
Ichthyic · 23 May 2011
The devil?
that gag only ever worked for Flip Wilson.
...
Hmm, I wonder if Freshwater was really hoping Camping was right...
QED_99 · 24 May 2011
Doc Bill · 24 May 2011
Flip Wilson's "the Devil made me do it!" preceded Church Lady by 20 years. Not to mention the Church of What's Happening Now!
But, Sammy Davis Junior's "here come de judge" may have been the Genesis for this line of comedy.
QED_99 · 24 May 2011
MosesZD · 26 May 2011
Marion Delgado · 28 May 2011
I hate to admit it, but Freshwater is instilling a new interest in religion in me with his campaign. I now pray that there IS a God, just so He can MAKE IT STOP!
Marion Delgado · 28 May 2011
Okay, God, but You are missing a big chance to convert a bunch of atheists and agnostics, and in Your most time-honored miraculous way, changing a guy's mind.
We'll have to settle for Richard's sanity-aiding accounts.
djm · 11 June 2011
What no one has really commented on is the fact the Ohio Department of Education seems to endorse teaching religion and intelligent design by their letter of admonition. The Department of Education had a copy of the referee's report and the termination resolution yet chose not to mention his teaching of intelligent design or violation of students' constitutional rights in the classroom. They only addressed the Tesla coil use and left to the local board the charge that he did not teach the curriculum. The message sent - it is alright to teach intelligent or creationism and rely and share your religious views in the classroom - all in violation of the Constitution.