Settlement Vindicates Use of Historical Religious Documents in Classroom

Agape Press ^ | 17 Aug 05 | Jim Brown

[xzins]

Settlement Vindicates Use of Historical Religious Documents in Classroom

By Jim Brown August 17, 2005

(AgapePress) - A settlement has been reached in a case involving a California elementary school teacher who was barred from distributing American history documents because they contained references to God and religion.

The Alliance Defense Fund and the Cupertino School District have reached a settlement in which the district has agreed to no longer censor teacher Steven Williams because he is a Christian. Officials at Stevens Creek Elementary had prohibited Williams from providing fifth-grade students with supplemental readings such as William Penn's Frame of Government and excerpts from the Declaration of Independence.

Williams' attorney, Kevin Theriot, says the district has agreed Williams did not violate school policy when he handed out the materials. Theriot says he is hopeful that school officials now understand that religion can be discussed in schools.

"And, incidentally, the school district also agreed that teachers can talk about religion in schools, even their religious beliefs that they may subscribe to, as long as it's done objectively and as long as the teachers are not trying to convert students to their particular religious beliefs," the attorney explains.

Prior to the settlement, school officials had argued that Williams was attempting to proselytize students with the handouts. Now, says the attorney, his client is pleased with settlement. "Mr. Williams is satisfied that they are going to follow their policy [and] that there's not going to be any prohibition on him talking about religious things or distributing documents like the Declaration of Independence or William Penn's Frame of Government," he says.

Theriot says it is unfortunate that many public school teachers avoid the topic of religion while in the classroom because they are unsure what they are legally permitted to do. But the settlement in Williams v. Widmar now puts in writing a district policy that "allows teachers, no matter what their religious beliefs, to use appropriate educational material (including supplemental handouts of historical significance) during instructional time that has religious content" and also allows teachers "to teach students during instructional time about matters involving religion" provided the content is compliant with district-prescribed curriculum and is not used to influence a student's religious beliefs.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jim Brown, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online. © 2005 AgapePress all rights reserved

[EagleUSA]

Good news - bad news story. Just keep the Islamics out!!!

[xzins]

Important info to send to teacher/student/church friends to help combat misconceptions about church/state issues in public schools.

[highball]

"Good news - bad news story. Just keep the Islamics out!!!"

That can't be done. You can't discuss some faiths and prohibit the discussion of other faiths.

If one is acceptable, they all are.

[Borges]

I wonder what would happen if an English teacher wanted to teach Paradise Lost? Would there be complaints about the religious content from illiterates and philistines?

[xzins]

I doubt we have too many historical documents from the Founders that relate to Islam.....unless Jefferson got some inspiration from the barbary pirates. :>)

[EagleUSA]

.....unless Jefferson got some inspiration from the barbary pirates. :>)
-----
True! -- but given the radical leftist nature of academia today, it would not suprise me to see a teacher of young people, that looks like OBL standing and raving the dogma of the Koran...nothing would suprise me in the government school system.

[xzins]

I did have to read Paradise Lost when I was in HS....long, long time ago.

It really shouldn't be any problem. Many districts, though, specifically pick out the books they want English classes to read. I'm not sure if they give teachers any leeway....but if they do, then it would be a violation to arbitrarily censure a teacher who had selected "Paradise Lost."

[maestro]

.......the future of 'Leadership'............

Ney Yorks Harbor....NOW....has the....."Statue of PC-Tolerance"....from Nero's Rome?

/"Liberty" ie. Free Speech......

/gaspel

[xzins]

I could see someone using readings from the Koran to support a history class that happened to be studying the Middle East. There'd have to be some kind of valid connection.

As a parent, I wouldn't mind it as background material in order to understand the culture. This article points out that such material when it is used to "influence belief" would cross the line.

There would be examples in writing or in verbiage that one could point to that would indicate that a teacher was attempting to "influence belief."

[EagleUSA]

As a parent, I wouldn't mind it as background material in order to understand the culture.
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And also as a parent, and an American, I believe in equal treatment. The Arabs don't Christians an inch -- and we should not give Islamics an inch -- but we are stupid with PC!

Life is a two-way street, not one-way...except for stupid liberals.

[IMAO-Podcast]

Ah, the "religion in the classroom" debate... Just in time for back to school!

Next Monday, the conservative bloggers at www.IMAO.us are doing their "Back to School" audio episode. Intelligent Design, Spanish 101, and politically incorrect/offensive football team names. Should be fun.

You can hear last week's episode (as long as your PC has speakers) at:

http://www.imaopodcast.com/podcast/IMAO-Aug15.mp3

Catch up on all the previous episodes in our Archive:

http://www.imaopodcast.com/archives.html

[jude24]

Time was when every educated person read and comprehended the Bible, even if they didn't accept its message. Every educated person still should read it, if only to understand the basis for Western Civilization. Ditto with the Qu'aran.

[TBP]

This was crazy from the get-go.

[xzins]

I think it would be valuable for my kids to be shown the context of Mohammed leading armies, cutting off heads, sacking and pillaging, etc.

Putting the Koran in context would include the lines about killing infidels through deceit if necessary.

That's just me. Others certainly can disagree.

[xzins]

Especially the bible is critical to understanding the history of our own culture. It's hard to imagine a rounded education that isn't conversant with the bible.

Less so for the Koran.

[maestro]

?....I could see someone using readings from the Koran to support a history class that happened to be studying the Middle East. There'd have to be some kind of valid connection. ...?

Really?

/GAZA

/Israel

/Intelligent Design:...Abraham's ONLY begotten SON of BiBlical-MARRIAGE was,... was....Ishmael or Isaac?

SURE,...Just talk about it in Saudia Arabia and the other... "Statue of PC-Tolerance"....dictatorships.

/Koran's "Liberty"....?

(just 'talk' about 'intelligent design' in U.S.A. public [koran-esQue]....PC-Tolerance classrooms

[xzins]

see #15

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[fish hawk]

This teacher is not distributing papers on "faiths". He is giving them copies of the real documents of our founding fathers. That is why he can do it. Although they mention God, they are real history. I don't see where Islam has anything to do with our history.