Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
I think we've found John Freshwater's doppleganger in New York, where a science teacher has been reprimanded for selling and loaning a book to sixth graders on how to identify which of their friends is under the control of Satan.
A Brooklyn principal has reprimanded a sixth-grade teacher for selling students a book that tells how to "recognize those serving Satan and bring them to Jesus."Steven Arizmendi sold "He Came to Set the Captives Free" to four of his students at Junior High School 220 in Sunset Park for $5 apiece. The science teacher also loaned copies of the evangelical novel to eight students.
The mind boggles.
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Comments
I'm sure the teacher considered that he was providing a service. I mean, wouldn't you want to know which of your friends was controlled by Satan?
Frankly, I fear people controlled by imaginary beings (so I fear the sixth-grade teacher, too).
Posted by: Zeno | January 6, 2010 9:51 AM
I thought Satan was controlling those invisible Muslims who are infiltrating the very fabric of our society. But if they're invisible, how will reading this book help?
What's more mind boggling to me is that this happened in Brooklyn, one of the most diverse cities in the USA. Didn't this yokel consider he might offend someone with his crackpot idea of selling Xian books to 12-year-olds?
My dear mother from Brooklyn would have had some words with this man, if she were still alive.
Posted by: wheatdogg | January 6, 2010 10:38 AM
Aside from the religious aspect, isn't there a rule against teachers selling anything to students (outside of school-approved fundraisers)?
Posted by: catgirl | January 6, 2010 10:43 AM
The article doesn't mention any consequences other than 'he cannot hand out the crap'. He should be required to take remedial classes in the constitution and ethics. If my kid had him as a teacher, I'd request a transfer as this teacher is possessed of an intellect so far below par as to be useless in transferring information of any value to the students.
Posted by: MikeMa | January 6, 2010 11:21 AM
catgirl @ 3: This is actually where my brain stopped processing: sixth grade teacher...*selling* things to *his students?*
Ay, ethics violations!
The rest...well, yes. Boggles is entirely the appropriate word.
(/relurk)
Posted by: Heatherly | January 6, 2010 11:27 AM
that books sounds horrible. However, I do hope that the school board take a viewpoint neutral stance and punishes every teacher who loans any student any book.
Posted by: Mike | January 6, 2010 11:29 AM
Science teacher? SCIENCE teacher!? WTF!?
Posted by: uqbar | January 6, 2010 11:30 AM
SUNSET PARK??!!!?! Jebus Christ on a stick, that's right next door to me!
I feel extra lucky now that my son doesn't go to a school with teachers like this; I know the NYC school system is huge enough to have its share of lousy teachers, but this is ridiculous.
Btw, for anyone visiting NYC, Sunset Park is home to both Brooklyn Chinatown AND Mexicotown; the sheer volume & variety of culinary deliciousness in such a small area is absolutely mind (and mouth!) boggling...
Posted by: howdini@gmail.com | January 6, 2010 11:45 AM
Frickin' iPhone autofill (and my own carelessness) has exposed my addy to the world...yeesh.
Posted by: how | January 6, 2010 11:49 AM
Eh, FWIW, I don't think this is comparable to Freshwater. As precious as the First Amendment is, a rogue teacher spitting on the separation of church and state kinda pales for me in comparison to assault.
This guy should lose his job; Freshwater should go to jail.
Posted by: James Sweet | January 6, 2010 12:11 PM
I wonder what possessed him to do such a thing. Loaning books to students...the nerve!
Posted by: kehrsam | January 6, 2010 12:16 PM
At least he was selling it at half price*. Surely that earns him some points. [/snark]
I found the blurb on the back cover of the book entertaining, like some new horror novel by Dean Koontz you chuckle at in an airport shop before putting it back on the shelf. Well, that is until I noticed the book is considered nonfiction. Then I was just sad.
From the Back Cover
*Recognize and combat the many satanists who regularly infiltrate and destroy Christian churches. *Recognize and combat satanic attacks. *Recognize those serving Satan, and bring them to Jesus Christ.
*Based on Amazon.com
Posted by: Abby Normal | January 6, 2010 12:37 PM
You didn't mention that the book in question is published by Chick Publication and is considered very dubious - even by some Christians.
http://answers.org/satan/brown.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebecca_Brown_(Christian_author)#Controversies
Posted by: Bill in NC | January 6, 2010 12:41 PM
Abby, I note that the satanist is untitled while the good christian is a Dr. Yet another religious attempt to borrow credibility.
A student guide to who worships Satan...hmmm...were I still in H.S., that would be almost as good as those "promise rings" for helping me decide who to ask out. But probably not in the way either was intended. :)
Posted by: eric | January 6, 2010 1:36 PM
Another thought. You don't need a book to tell you who is worshipping satan. The satan-worshipper is the guy who uses his position of authority over you to pressure you into doing something you don't want to do. Like buy his literature.
Posted by: eric | January 6, 2010 1:47 PM
Wow, I had until now forgotten that I read that book in high school (don't ask). It is mind-numbing insanity, absolutely incredible delusional nonsense. As Bill in NC points out, even most Christians acknowledge the lies found within it's pages. I remember reading it as an impressionable 14-year-old and being terrified as I struggled with the idea of ritual satan worship and human sacrafice and demon rape and the other horrific things described in the book. This teacher should be fired and ridiculed.
Posted by: tyaddow | January 6, 2010 3:30 PM
OMG OMG OMG!!! I have the book right here! It was in the interlibrary loan basket. Ha! 1st chapter has Rebecca referring to herself in the 1st person. My, my, the diagrams have fun labels as 'Telekinesis as used in witchcraft' & 'True Astral Projection'. This book is a rambling incoherent paranoid rant. With cartoons.
Posted by: LibraryGuy | January 6, 2010 3:35 PM
More info (PDF) on the ball of batshit-crazy that is Rebecca Brown...
Posted by: Jeff | January 6, 2010 3:37 PM
Jeff: Thanks for the reference. Any publication that treats "witchcraft" and "satanism" as the same thing is, ipso facto, bogus. There are real Witches, and real Satanists, and both groups freely acknowledge they're not the same; and anyone who's met any number of such people can easily see the difference.
This isn't just a stupid religion; it's pure insanity. This "teacher" needs a psych exam.
Posted by: Raging Bee | January 6, 2010 5:13 PM
C'mon, people, it's a great book! Just look at the reviews:
You think you can defeat Satan's oogy boo with your so-called "science"? Do you know why you think that? Satan. I kid you not.
Satan's even in charge of the medical licensing board of Indiana, who pulled her license because she "knowingly and intentionally misdiagnosed her patients", blaming their illnesses on "demons, devils, and evil spirits" (quote from her so-called "Wikipedia" page). Pah!
…
Bill in NC "You didn't mention that the book in question is published by Chick Publication and is considered very dubious - even by some Christians."
Yeah, by some non-True Christians®. Obviously.
Raging Bee "This 'teacher' needs a psych exam."
Wrong. It's you that needs the psych exam. From the Lord.
Posted by: Modusoperandi | January 6, 2010 6:33 PM
I just wonder if this same science teacher would have been reprimanded for LOANING Saul Alinsky's "Rules For Radicals". I bet the whole story would have been ignored if he would have loaned the students marxist fascist propoganda or porn or gambling how to books or anything that was bad or evil. Might have known if it involved Jesus, the liberal fascists throw a hissy fit. All the more reason to place your kids in a private school or even home school them.
Posted by: Dan the Teacher man | January 6, 2010 6:39 PM
Poes are getting harder and harder to identify.
Posted by: Sadie Morrison | January 6, 2010 6:56 PM
Sadie Morrison; I know, right? Genuine FUD/faux outrage and pretend FUD/faux-faux outrage are virtually identical.
Posted by: Modusoperandi | January 6, 2010 6:59 PM
I guess i was right after all. There are radcial fascists in charge of the media. No wonder FOX is number one. Who wants to watch these creeps on MSLSD(MSNBC) or the Clinton News Network(CNN) or National Barack Channel(NBC), or All Barack Channel(ABC), or Prety Bad Statio(PBS). A bunch of America hating freaks on there. Alinsky was one evil mother...
Posted by: Dan the Teacher man | January 6, 2010 7:14 PM
Do you have an example of this happening or are you just Christurbating?
Posted by: DaveL | January 6, 2010 7:25 PM
I'm sure he's googling like mad as we speak...
Posted by: Leni | January 6, 2010 7:37 PM
Catgirl brought up a great point. I'm certainly not going to sell anything to my students without having it approved by the school. I'd like to keep my job.
A little off the topic, but I had an interesting conversation with a math teacher today. I mentioned that I wanted to do a climate unit. Her response was that global warming is "baloney." I said that even if that were true, there are still reasons to stop using fossil fuels. She said, "Why did God put all that oil in the ground if we're not supposed to use it?"
So I think religion can influence science instruction. I also think that most places it's hard to "come out" as an atheist.
Posted by: Eric R | January 6, 2010 7:52 PM
Chris Matthews admits he hearts the evil Saul Alinsky
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/18621
Well we all know how far left the mainstream media has become and how they will do anything to bring down conservatism and replace it will evil (socialism). The rules for radicals is one book that should be burned.
Posted by: Dan the teacher man | January 6, 2010 7:54 PM
Dan the Teacher man "Who wants to watch these creeps on...Prety Bad Statio(PBS)."
Yeah, take that, network that doesn't even have the balls to run commercials for crap I don't need and can't afford but, thanks to commercials, know that I need no matter the price! And their programs? Nature? If I wanted to see nature, I'd be outside, shooting at it. Nova? Naw. I'm a Ford guy, myself. BBC sitcom from 20+ years ago? I can't stand me them ferrin' accents! Frontline? I've had it up to here with so-called "investigative reporting". All the real reporters take the talking-points from the GOP and run them as written.
Posted by: Modusoperandi | January 6, 2010 7:54 PM
Dan the teacher man "The rules for radicals is one book that should be burned."
I agree. Just imagine the Town Hall meetings over the summer had the protesters used some of the tips from that book? It would've been chaos, with yelling, distruptions, bullying and the like! Every day I thank the Lord that no one on the Right secretly uses that book.
Posted by: Modusoperandi | January 6, 2010 8:03 PM
There is a late-night cable commercial for a product called Post-E-Vac. It's a penis pump that you can supposedly get through medicare. Three old, ugly men give testimonials for the product. I swear the third guy is John Freshwater.
Posted by: wrpd | January 6, 2010 8:09 PM
wrpd - wouldn't Freshwater use a Tesla Coil? No pain, no gain after all. :) - Dingo
Posted by: DingoJack | January 6, 2010 8:21 PM
"There are radical fascists in the media. No wonder FOX is number one."
FOX isn't part of "the media?"
Posted by: daniel rotter | January 6, 2010 8:45 PM
"It's a penis pump that you can supposedly get through medicare. "
No wonder Medicare is going broke. Now you know wny people do not want government run healthcare. They'll pay for goober enlargement, but not heart surgery or cancer treatment. What the hell is wrong with these people? Stick your dick in a Hoover vacuum cleaner for free if you want it stretched and stop depending on government endorsed pecker power. Hell if you want dick enlargement just grab it pull real hard. Medicare should have their ass kicked for this crap.
Posted by: Dan the teacher man | January 6, 2010 9:09 PM
"It's a penis pump that you can supposedly get through medicare. "
No wonder Medicare is going broke. Now you know wny people do not want government run healthcare. They'll pay for goober enlargement, but not heart surgery or cancer treatment. What the hell is wrong with these people? Stick your dick in a Hoover vacuum cleaner for free if you want it stretched and stop depending on government endorsed pecker power. Hell if you want dick enlargement just grab it pull real hard. Medicare should have their ass kicked for this crap.
Posted by: Dan the teacher man | January 6, 2010 9:09 PM
Prety Bad Station? "Prety" looks like it might be Slavic, possibly Czech. I'd check out that station!
Posted by: Sadie Morrison | January 6, 2010 9:11 PM
No, it's "Prety Bad Statio". It's like Telemundo, but with lots of shows about antiques and the value thereof. And Sesame Street isn't in American with some bits in Spanish. It's the other way around.
Posted by: Modusoperandi | January 6, 2010 9:16 PM
Anyone on here ever hear of Keith Overbite that has that far left hate shown the the station MSLSD? I hear he is a real a-hole.
Posted by: Dan the Teacher man | January 6, 2010 9:23 PM
Since our ever friendly Poe has difficulties with English comprehension, allow me to explain:
"...a penis pump that you can supposedly get through medicare." [Emphasis mine].
Hope that is of some assistance to you. - Dingo
Posted by: DingoJack | January 6, 2010 9:24 PM
Dan the Teacher man "Anyone on here ever hear of Keith Overbite that has that far left hate shown the the station MSLSD? I hear he is a real a-hole."
Never heard of him. Or it. I only watch FoxNews. The other so-called "channels" are infested with Liberalism, anti-Americanism, radical SOCIALISM and facts.
Palin in 2012! Woo!
Posted by: Modusoperandi | January 6, 2010 9:34 PM
No speaka englis !
Penis pump? I just call it a goober grinder. It is SUPPOSEDLY a device that slurps your pecker so hard that it stretches the hell out of it. Like I said anyone with a vacuum cleaner can accomplish the same thing. It hurts though. Trust me, I know. Just what we all need Old men making emergency room trips becuase of a Pecker peeler that the government paid for. I though healthcare was supposed to get cheaper with the socialist plan. Oh well. I guess we'll all get free Dirt Devils.
Posted by: Dan the Teacher man | January 6, 2010 9:42 PM
Far RIGHT hate is more Dan the Teacher man's thing, as can be shown by his love for the F(R)NC.
Posted by: daniel rotter | January 6, 2010 9:49 PM
I have a theory that the nuts on the Right are all Poes, trapped in the America that they accidentally helped divide. Damn liberals...
Posted by: Modusoperandi | January 6, 2010 9:49 PM
"...a Pecker peeler that the government paid for."
Even with DingoJack's helpful definition, Dan the Teacher man still doesn't know what the word "supposedly" means.
Posted by: daniel rotter | January 6, 2010 9:52 PM
Sure I do.
Example:
Man is SUPPOSEDLY causing global warming. That's why it's so cold outside. nevermind the Sun. man is to blame.
The government run socialist hellcare plan will SUPPOSEDLY help everyone.
Posted by: Dan the teacher man | January 6, 2010 9:59 PM
"Sure I do."
Well, not all of the time, if you believe that "the government supposedly paid for a Pecker peeler " means exactly the same thing as "the government paid for a Pecker peeler."
Posted by: daniel rotter | January 6, 2010 10:11 PM
So Dan, I take it you do not, in fact, know of any examples of public school teachers loaning out Rules For Radicals, Marxist fascist propaganda (now that would be interesting to see), porn, or books on how to gamble to students, and are just indulging in some sort of wish-fulfillment fantasy?
Posted by: DaveL | January 6, 2010 10:41 PM
What bullshit! Bad or evil my ass. Why wouldn't we teach kids how to gamble, being as near everyone does it?
Oh, yeah, same reason we don't teach kids about sex. Because it's bad or evil, even though near everyone does it.
Teacher Dan, your presuppositions disqualify you as an adequate teacher.
Posted by: kamaka | January 6, 2010 11:24 PM
So I'm guessing you don't teach English or Mathematics*, so let's see, how about Home Economics? - Dingo
----------
* Not English, since you don't get 'supposedly', and not Mathematics because you don't get probability (Pascal was trying to work out how often double sixes come up on a pair of die, to help his friend win when GAMBLING).
Posted by: DingoJack | January 7, 2010 12:04 AM
An "evangelical novel"? At least some believers are at least being honest about what the "Bible" really is.
Posted by: jws | January 7, 2010 1:57 AM
DingoJack:
Tesla coil? I would love to hear of a disgruntled student or parent taking a Tesla coil to Freshwater's dinkie.
Posted by: wrpd | January 7, 2010 3:47 AM
I think the public schools should just stick to indoctrinating kids about homosexuality, socialism and getting them to sing worship chants to Barak Obama, and leave the evangelizing to the church.
Oh and also stick to teaching kids all about Islam and having them roll out prayer rugs and pray to Allah and stuff like theat..
Posted by: Jonathan | January 7, 2010 6:05 AM
Yeah Jonathon,
They're introducing Hinduism and Buddism for those students who are really keen...
Posted by: maxh | January 7, 2010 6:32 AM
Good deal, Maxh. Maybe some Hindu kids will challenge the instructor with a question about evolution and reincarnation.
Posted by: Jonathan | January 7, 2010 6:43 AM
-----> my point ------>
jonathan's head
Posted by: maxh | January 7, 2010 9:13 AM
Dude, public schools are socialism.
Posted by: DaveL | January 7, 2010 9:20 AM
Wrong. It's you that needs the psych exam. From the Lord.
Hey, "the Lord" can examine me anytime he wants, being "the Lord" and all. And if he has any recommendations, I'm all ears. Thing is, last time I got any real recommendation from any power greater than/outside myself, it didn't mention "Satan" at all -- in fact, it was a lot more complex and informative, and didn't involve any type of stupid or dangerous paranoid delusions. If I want paranoid delusions, I can just watch one of those "body snatchers" movies.
Posted by: Raging Bee | January 7, 2010 10:15 AM
Raging Bee "...and didn't involve any type of stupid or dangerous paranoid delusions."
Hey! All the cool delusions are "stupid" or "dangerous". You want to be cool don't you?
Posted by: Modusoperandi | January 7, 2010 12:20 PM
When the church is lecturing kids about how evil homosexuality is, isn't it "indoctrinating kids about homosexuality (with the indoctrination, in this particular instance, going in the "homosexuality stinks" direction)?" The word "about" is a little broader than you seem to think, Jonathan, lol.
Posted by: daniel rotter | January 7, 2010 11:26 PM
Ah yes, Daniel @59.
But the church doesn't politicize a captive audience without the consent of the parents, and certainly not against their wishes. Typically, churches don't deal with this subject with kids anyway, till they get older. And then, they can choose not to go to youth group anyway. And, last but not least, there are churches that are inclusive for gays and their families. It's all about choice I think. True, parents can "choose" to send their kids to a different school. But they can't choose to take their tax dollars with them.
Nice try though.
Posted by: Jonathan | January 8, 2010 9:56 AM
Rubbish.
Posted by: jws | January 8, 2010 10:00 AM