For Heaven's Sake, Don't Mention God! in a Case of "Turnabout Is Fair Play," Stephen Williams, a History Teacher, Is Suing a School District Because the School District Won't Let Him Mention God in His Lessons

Gilmore, Jodie, The New American

In the latest attempt to eradicate all public mention of Christianity, the principal of Stevens Creek School (of the Cupertino Union School District in California) has prohibited a teacher, Stephen Williams, from distributing historical documents to his fifth-grade history class, on the grounds that they contain references to God.

Was Williams distributing potentially controversial documents? Hardly. Among the documents deemed inappropriately religious by school principal Patricia Vidmar are excerpts from the following:

* the Declaration of Independence;

* diaries and journals of John Adams and George Washington;

* writings of William Penn;

* several state constitutions;

* "The Rights of the Colonists" by Samuel Adams; and

* a handout entitled "Fact Sheet: Currency and Coins--A History of 'In God We Trust.'"

It's not like Williams doesn't use any other materials in supplementing the fifth-grade history …

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Publication information: Article title: For Heaven's Sake, Don't Mention God! in a Case of "Turnabout Is Fair Play," Stephen Williams, a History Teacher, Is Suing a School District Because the School District Won't Let Him Mention God in His Lessons. Contributors: Gilmore, Jodie - Author. Magazine title: The New American. Volume: 21. Issue: 1 Publication date: January 10, 2005. Page number: 29+. © 2009 American Opinion Publishing, Inc. COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group.

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