Some of you may recall the controversy surrounding Stephen Williams, a California school teacher who was disciplined and allegedly ordered not to tell his students about the Declaration of Independence because it includes a reference to a “Creator.”
Talk radio, Fox News, and conservative blogs went apoplectic, using Williams’ example as proof of secularists gone too far, a public school system that is hostile towards religion, etc. Backed by the far-right Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), a group of lawyers funded by the religious right, Williams filed suit, arguing that school officials were preventing him from teaching about the Declaration and the role of religion in history.
The truth was far less contentious. Williams wanted to distribute religious right propaganda to fifth graders, but administrators said he couldn’t. It was part of a pattern with this guy — one parent told the San Francisco Chronicle, “My daughter came home one day and said, ‘Mr. Williams talks about Jesus 100 times a day.'” In one particularly entertaining instance, Williams had a handout listing what famous historical figures have said about the Bible. The figures were nine U.S. presidents and Jesus Christ. For some reason, school officials thought this might be inappropriate, so Williams sued them.
I’m mentioning this now because the case has finally been reviewed in federal court. Not surprisingly, the judge — who was appointed by the first President Bush — wasn’t impressed with Williams’ complaint.
A federal judge has dismissed the bulk of a lawsuit brought by a fifth-grade teacher who claims his lesson plan is being censored by his superiors because he is a Christian.
Stephen Williams, who teaches at Stevens Creek Elementary School in Cupertino, filed suit in November claiming Principal Patricia Vidmar and other officials illegally restricted his teachings, which included presenting historical documents referencing God.
U.S. District Judge James Ware, in dismissing much of Williams’ suit on April 28, said Williams’ speech rights were not restricted because “teachers do not have a First Amendment right to determine what curriculum will be taught in the classroom.”
Judge Ware will hear Williams’ complaint about religious discrimination, though it, too, is likely to get thrown out of court.
If recent history holds, Tom DeLay will now threaten Judge Ware, John Cornyn will point to this case to provide a justification for violence against jurists, and several House Republicans will start talking about impeachment proceedings.