"..Some parents criticize Williams for taking the extreme step of filing a lawsuit. He should have taken his discontent to parents and school officials rather than creating negative publicity for the school, they say....."
"..Parents' coping strategy: Try to keep things normal for the children's sake..."
Stephen J. Williams--The Teacher Behind the Cupertino Lawsuit
San Jose Mercury- Teacher's suit puts uneasy spotlight on Cupertino
Excerpt:
"Williams was born in Madison, Wis., according to a biographical entry in a school yearbook. He grew up in Ithaca, N.Y., and his family moved to San Jose in 1978. He attended Lynbrook High School in San Jose, where he played trombone in the marching band and performed in a school production of ``South Pacific.'' He swam competitively while attending the University of California-Berkeley, where he earned a degree in economics.
He entered teaching, according to the yearbook, after working for an economic consulting firm. While completing his teaching credential, he began working as a substitute teacher in the Cupertino district in 1995 and landed a position at Stevens Creek Elementary in 1998.
Two years ago
Williams began injecting religious references into his daily lessons about two years ago, according to parents and teachers. He had joined New Hope Peninsula Church in San Carlos, where he met his wife. The couple live in Mountain View, have a 5-month-old daughter, and are expecting another child this summer.
``I went through a long process of investigating things, looking into the meaning of the Bible, and asking questions about a higher order,'' he told the Mercury News. ``I was not a Christian most of my life. I was not raised a Christian.''
According to the lawsuit, his handouts came under scrutiny last year when a parent complained that Williams brought religion-based materials to class to elaborate on a discussion about the inclusion of ``under God'' in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Other parents say they've complained on several occasions about other aspects of Williams' teaching over the past two years....
....Armineh Noravian, whose son was in Williams' class last year, said, ``Nobody has any qualms about him personally,'' she said. ``He's a very nice man. But he is shoving his agenda down people's throats. It's indoctrination.''
See Iddybud- Mr. Williams' Battle Over Jesus, 9 December