Did Public School Teacher's Firing for Presenting Religious Doctrine In Science Class Violate His Free Speech Rights?

Suit Alleges School Board Policy Barring Teaching of Creationism Is Unconstitutional

John Freshwater v. Mount Vernon City School District Board of Education, Case no. 2012-0613

Fifth District Court of Appeals (Knox County)

ISSUE: Did the firing of a public school teacher for violating a school district policy that prohibits teachers from distributing extracurricular materials of a religious nature to students in the classroom or endorsing the beliefs or principles of any religion in the course of instructing students violate the teacher's right to freedom of speech and freedom of religion under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution?