CUPERTINO, Calif.—Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund filed suit yesterday against the Cupertino Union School District for prohibiting a teacher from providing supplemental handouts to students about American history because the historical documents contain some references to God and religion.
“Throwing aside all common sense, the district has chosen to censor men such as George Washington and documents like the Declaration of Independence. The district’s actions conflict with American beliefs and are completely unconstitutional,” said ADF Senior Counsel Gary McCaleb. “In addition, they have wrongfully applied their policy to only one teacher, who is a professed Christian.”
Patricia Vidmar, the principal of Stevens Creek School, ordered the Christian teacher—but no others—to submit all of his lesson plans and supplemental handouts to her for review in advance. Documents the teacher, Stephen Williams, submitted that Vidmar rejected include excerpts from the Declaration of Independence, the diaries of George Washington and John Adams, the writings of William Penn, and various state constitutions.
“Less than five percent of all of Mr. Williams’ supplemental handouts distributed throughout the school year contain references to God and Christianity,” McCaleb said. “The district is simply attempting to cleanse all references to the Christian religion from our nation’s history, and they are singling out Mr. Williams for discriminatory treatment. Their actions are unacceptable under both California and federal law.”
The California Education Code allows “references to religion or references to or the use of religious literature…when such references or uses do not constitute instruction in religious principles…and when such references or uses are incidental to or illustrative of matters properly included in the course of study.”
Local counsel Terry Thompson filed the case,
Stephen J. Williams v. Cupertino Union School District, et al., in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Oakland Division.
“ADF will continue to defend Christian teachers against discrimination by public school officials and will oppose historical revisionism that attempts to eradicate America’s religious heritage,” McCaleb said.
ADF is America’s largest legal alliance defending religious liberty through strategy, training, funding, and litigation.
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Related Information
View the complaint