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Cupertino schools sued over ban on founding father excerpts invoking religion

Oakland Tribune

Monday 6 December 2004, 1:52 pm
Keywords: Christian Topics , News Articles

A Cupertino public school teacher is suing his district and his principal, who banned him from using excerpts from the Declaration of Independence and other historical documents in his classroom because they contain references to God and Christianity.

Steven Williams, a fifth-grade teacher at Stevens Creek Elementary School in the Cupertino Union School District, filed the suit in U.S. District Court on Monday, arguing a First Amendment right to teach the history of our country and its founding fathers, which includes religious, and specifically Christian, references.

"I've never even tried to hint the kids need to believe this or this is the right religion to believe," Williams told the Oakland Tribune on Wednesday. "I'm just trying to teach history."

Williams' attorney said the principal's policy is a violation of the teacher's First Amendment rights and is blatant censorship of the writings of great men because they mention God or Christianity.

Speaking from his home Wednesday, a school holiday, Williams said the problems started last year after he responded to a student who asked why the Pledge of Allegiance includes the phrase under God.

Eventually a parent complained, and the principal started requesting his lesson plans and handouts.

The lawsuit does say Williams, who has been teaching eight years, is an orthodox Christian.

The state's fifth-grade social studies standards include learning about the religious, economic, social and cultural origins of the United States.

Williams said he thinks society has become hypersensitive to any reference of Christianity in the public arena, especially schools. He said he has taught students about Ramadan and Kwanzaa and been applauded for those lessons.

People are like, Oh good, that's diversity,' he said. As soon as Christianity is involved, it's separation of church and state.

http://www.oaklandtribune.com/Stories/0,1413,82~1865~2558339,00.html