The firing of a teacher accused of preaching his Christian beliefs in his classroom and keeping a Bible on his desk has been upheld by an Ohio court.
    
Knox County Common Pleas Judge Otho Eyster said the evidence shows the Mount Vernon school board was right when it dismissed John Freshwater earlier this year.
    
Freshwater told the Associated Press in an email that he's reviewing his legal options might appeal.

The Rutherford Institute, a Virginia-based civil liberties group that's been involved in the case, said Freshwater would have a better chance of victory in an appellate court. 

"The lower courts are very difficult to get by because they do uphold local school boards almost unanimously," Rutherford President John Whitehead said.

"We'll have a better chance in an appeals court, which will have more distance away from the school board and the local community," he added.