Christian Teacher Sues California School

"No Doubt We're In The Last Days" News

[The Telegraph (UK), Nov. 26, 2004

http://portal.telegraph.co.uk

By Catherine Elsworth in Los Angeles]

A California teacher who claims he was barred from using documents in history lessons that refer to God, including the Declaration of Independence, is suing his school for discrimination.

In the latest row about church and state separation, Steven Williams, a fifth-grade teacher at Stevens Creek School near San Francisco, claims that he was singled out for censorship by the head teacher, Patricia Vidmar, because he is a Christian.

Mr Williams alleges that, since May, all his lesson planning has been vetted by Miss Vidmar and any references to God or Christianity weeded out.

"It's a fact of American history that our founders were religious men and to hide this fact from young fifth-graders in the name of political correctness is outrageous and shameful," said his lawyer, Terry Thompson.

"Williams wants to teach his students the true history of our country. There is nothing in the Establishment Clause (of the constitution) that prohibits a teacher from showing students the Declaration of Independence."