Teacher conduct subject of investigation

A teacher having the Bible on his desk can be a bit of a gray area, but a teacher who is accused of burning crosses onto students’ arms with an electrostatic device is another matter.

MOUNT VERNON — After an extended executive session Tuesday morning, the Mount Vernon City Schools Board of Education and administration decided to have an independent party investigate allegations made against eighth-grade science teacher John Freshwater.

In a public rally last week, Freshwater said the school administration’s directive to remove a personal Bible from his desk was an abridgment of his First Amendment rights, and refused to comply with the order. On Friday, students held a rally in support of Freshwater and his stance for displaying his Bible.

In a press release issued Tuesday afternoon, Superintendent Steve Short said, “The allegations against Mr. Freshwater are very serious. This is not about his personal Bible on his desktop. It is about the totality of his conduct.”

One of the complaints was that Freshwater used an electrostatic device to burn crosses onto students’ arms.

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Presidential Proclamation: Older American Month, 2008

A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

During Older Americans Month, we recognize the many ways older citizens have enriched our Nation through their character, wisdom, and love.

Our country remains strong because of the foundation our elders have helped lay. This year’s Older Americans Month theme, “Working Together for Strong, Healthy, and Supportive Communities,” highlights the importance of building partnerships to ensure that older Americans are able to live with dignity and independence.

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Baptisms in SBC fall to lowest level since 1987

NASHVILLE, Tenn., 4/23/08 — The number of people baptized in Southern Baptist churches fell for the third straight year in 2007 to the denomination’s lowest level since 1987. Although the SBC added 473 new churches and gave more than $1.3 billion to support mission activities around the world, there’s no escaping the disappointing fact that Southern Baptists are not reaching as many people for Christ as they once did, according to Thom S. Rainer, president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources, which gathered the information on the denomination’s behalf.

According to LifeWay’s Annual Church Profile (ACP), baptisms in 2007 dropped nearly 5.5 percent to 345,941, compared to 364,826 in 2006. Baptism is a public act administered by the local church in which new followers of Christ are immersed in water. Baptism symbolizes believers’ identification with Jesus in His death, burial and resurrection; signifies their new life in Christ; and anticipates the day in which Christ will raise them from the dead, demonstrating His victory over sin and death. Therefore, the number of baptisms is a key measurement of the SBC’s effectiveness in evangelism.

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