Ohio Teacher Refuses to Remove Bible From Students' View, and other attacks on Christianity

Ohio Teacher Refuses to Remove Bible From Students' View, Fox

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio — An Ohio middle school teacher says he won't obey an order to remove a Bible from view of students.

John Freshwater said Wednesday he agreed to remove a collage from his classroom that included the Ten Commandments, but that asking him to remove the Bible on his desk goes too far.

Officials with the Mount Vernon School District say they don't oppose religion but are required by the U.S. Constitution not to promote or favor any set of religious beliefs.

Freshwater says being forced to keep the Bible out of sight would infringe on his rights.

Mount Vernon is about 40 miles northeast of Columbus.

ACLU 1, Jesus 0
Federal judge rules lone Jesus painting in Louisiana courthouse was unconstitutional, (ABC) (hat tip hubby)

Displaying a portrait of Jesus in the foyer of a Louisiana courthouse is unconstitutional, a federal judge ruled this week, siding with civil libertarians who sued over the display.

A painting of Jesus hangs in the Slidell City Court house lobby on Tuesday, July 3, 2007 in Slidell, La.
(Judi Bottoni/AP Photo)

But inserting Jesus within a group portrait of historic figures at the courthouse is permissible, the judge said.

In a ruling filed Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Ivan Lemelle awarded "nominal" damages plus attorneys' fees and costs to the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana in its case against Slidell City Court, Judge James Lamz and St. Tammany Parish, which partially finances the court.

Lemelle said during a hearing last September that he would have ordered court officials to remove the Jesus icon if they hadn't already expanded the display to include portraits of other historic "lawgivers," including Moses, Charlemagne and Napoleon Bonaparte. (continue reading)

The "Art" of Aborted Miscarriages, Flanders Fields

From Yale Daily News, "For senior, abortion a medium for art, political discourse".

"I believe strongly that art should be a medium for politics and ideologies, not just a commodity," Shvarts said. "I think that I'm creating a project that lives up to the standard of what art is supposed to be."

The display of Schvarts' project will feature a large cube suspended from the ceiling of a room in the gallery of Green Hall. Schvarts will wrap hundreds of feet of plastic sheeting around this cube; lined between layers of the sheeting will be the blood from Schvarts' self-induced miscarriages mixed with Vaseline in order to prevent the blood from drying and to extend the blood throughout the plastic sheeting.

Schvarts will then project recorded videos onto the four sides of the cube. These videos, captured on a VHS camcorder, will show her experiencing miscarriages in her bathrooom tub, she said. Similar videos will be projected onto the walls of the room." (continue reading)

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Comments

[Reverend Grouch]

"Why not just put the Bible in his desk drawer? They are not saying he can't have the Bible in the school, but it must be out of sight when class is in session...where is the debate?"

I ask AGAIN!

What if the bible had been a Koran?

Well?

[Matt]

This is not about seperation of church and state. It is about following poicy. Here is a copy of Mount Vernon's policy and it states that the district does not allow "devotional exercises or displays of a religious character,". The teacher also had the 10 commandments posted, Bibles stacked on a book shelf, posters with Bible verses on them and he removed or took them down. Why not just put the Bible in his desk drawer? They are not saying he can't have the Bible in the school, but it must be out of sight when class is in session...where is the debate?

[Debbie]

Mrs. Who: Good point about the South. I'm proud of this teacher and hope others follow suit.

We were at an event last week that began with prayer, with the pledge and the National Anthem. I told my husband to be thankful that we still lived in a part of this country where this is the norm, where we can still perform these acts of tribute to our God and our Country.

Nanc: Can't wait to see Ben Stein's movie. Thanks for the review at your place.

Grouch, I'm waiting for the Muslim outrage...

Martin: I heard about that too, very disturbing.

Layla: Good for you, what an example to your son and what a great lesson for the other parents.

Always On Watch: Oh I'm sorry for your situation. I know you are in Virginia and that makes me glad I'm not living there. Tennessee looks better and better.

Durango: I'm not Catholic (Southern Baptist), but this visit by the Pope has been an inspiration. I have enjoyed the coverage on Fox News ... the music, the attention to Christianity, to faith, it's inspiring.

[Mrs. Who]

I've read that the students are supporting their teacher, coming in with t-shirts that have crosses and 'I support Fresh H20' drawn on them.

We don't seem to have as much of a problem with this kind of thing in deep-South schools. I have a quote-a-day book on my desk that has quotes from John Paul II. But then, we cling to our Bibles and guns down here.

[durano lawayan]

Hi Debbie,

I'm with the Teacher. He has every right to bring a bible or display it on his desk.

I think this whole thing about separation of Church and State is going too far. No one can deny the Muslims their Allah, so why deny the Christians their God? They have taken him off the Christmas list already. Layla is right, that Jefferson letter ought to be propagated.

This is getting weird. With the Pope's visit to the US, I wonder if he sees how difficult, if not impossible, it is to be a Catholic and an American at the same time. :-)--Durano, done!

[nanc]

debbie - you have GOT to see ben stein's EXPELLED - it puts so many things happening today into perspective - an amazing documentary - i've put a semi-review of it up at my place - we saw it last night.

[Always On Watch]

At my bank, all the tellers are Muslims. And each of them has a Koran at their respective station. Can you imagine the furor if I became offended and complained? Sheesh! CAIR would be all over me!

I hope that teacher in Ohio doesn't lose his job over taking a stand for his Bible. But he could, you know--in this alternate universe we find ourselves during the 21st Century.

[Layla]

Great find by your hubby Debbie. I support that teacher all the way out there in Ohio. I wish more had his gutts.

I mentioned G-d at my sons school during an IEP meeting and they told me I could not use "that word" - well I will not cram up your space here but I gave them a lesson in Constitution 101 - Separation of Church and State and Jefferson's wall of separation letter that was to separate from the Church of England not a gov vs. state separation. Their jaws dropped and they all shut up. They will NEVER again tell me not to say G-d again!

[Martin]

Just read an article on WND about a school that allowed students to create art featuring Buddha and demon masks for an art project, but one student who dared create a cross in his art was punished and told he would not receive a grade. Needless to say, the ADF is going after the school...but strangely not a peep out of the ACLU. Wonder why.

[Grouch at Right Truth]

Wonder what would have been said if the teacher had had a Koran on the desk?

What if a picture of Mohammed (aka. Mo the Pedophile) had been hanging in the Louisiana courthouse?

Any takers?