Parents settle Ohio student arm-branding case

by Walter Olson on August 31, 2009

“School board members in Mount Vernon agreed Wednesday night to resolve a federal lawsuit by paying $5,500 to the boy and his family and $115,500 to their lawyers.” [AP/NBC4i] We covered the case, in which a teacher is alleged to have branded a cross onto a pupil’s arm, in July; the teacher, John Freshwater, has himself filed a civil rights action against the school district charging religious discrimination, and a suit by the parents against Freshwater remains ongoing.

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{ 5 comments }

1 Anne_Onymous 08.31.09 at 3:34 am

Amazing (and disappointing, and unfortunately not surprising) that the lawyers collect 20 times as much as the victims.

2 Frank C ostanza 08.31.09 at 9:43 am

Those lawyers deserved every penny. Imagine the trauma they experienced having to discuss that horrible disfigurement.

3 Melvin H. 08.31.09 at 9:55 am

Couldn’t Mr. Freshwater, the teacher, file a suit against the parents for violation of civil rights (namely, discrimination because of his religious beliefs), just like he did vs. the district? have

4 Todd Rogers 08.31.09 at 10:14 am

At least the attorneys were made whole.

5 Tom T. 08.31.09 at 11:18 am

It’s mind-boggling that the school board chose to fight a case where a teacher branded a student’s arm, especially if the family was willing to take only $5,500 in settlement.

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