Hi Tom,

We are in complete agreement WRT wanting the matter being resolved in court. That's all any of us parents ever wanted. My issue is with the ADF aggressively booking time on TV shows and claiming we had banned the Declaration. Fortunately they have stopped doing that, and even issued the document I sent you. It seems hypocritical of them to provoke an angry mob like that and then condemn the mob, but that's what I think they did.

It is possible to interpret their original headline as applying only to a single classroom, however both myself and the 3000 angry people who contacted the school assumed it meant that the Declaration was banned school wide, which is obviously silly. christiansunite.com deserves credit in that your story is less inflammatory than the ADFs. I am sure McCaleb's comments (the inflammatory part) will be proven untrue in court, so I'm glad you have correctly attributed those to him and not presented them as fact.

I suspect that the ADF intended this to create the publicity it did to fuel their funding drive. Endangering kids to collect money isn't considered very Christian in my church, but I guess the ADF has a more creative interpretation of Christ than I do.

Thanks again for your prayers,

Hermann

Hi Tom,
Just an update - The ADF has issued a correction to their earlier press release about our school. It stops short of the whole truth, but it's much better. Maybe your prayers helped!  

Here's the text of their correction. I hope you'll link to it in the original story. I'll post updates at www.stevenscreekparents.org

ALLIANCE DEFENSE FUND STATEMENT
>
> January 27, 2005 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>
> CONTACT ADF MEDIA RELATIONS: (480) 444-0020
>
> ADF dispels misunderstandings
>
> about lawsuit against Cupertino Union School District
>
> SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.—Some media reports have incorrectly characterized the
> lawsuit filed on behalf of teacher Stephen Williams against the
> Cupertino Union School District as challenging a complete ban by the
> school of the Declaration of Independence from the entire school. That
> characterization is wrong.
>
> The text of our Nov. 23, 2004, news release on this lawsuit clearly
> stated that Mr. Williams was prohibited from using the Declaration in
> his classroom despite having sound academic reasons to do so.
> Additionally, the actual complaint is a public document and is (and has
> been) available at our Web site at
> www.alliancedefensefund.org/userdocs/WilliamsvCupertinoComplaint.pdf.
>
> What is at issue in this lawsuit is not the reputation or general
> quality of education at Stevens Creek Elementary School, where Mr.
> Williams teaches. It is the question of whether school officials
> violated the U.S. Constitution when they placed particular limitations
> upon Mr. Williams—and only Mr. Williams—pertaining to the teaching of
> his class. This is the question that led to informal efforts to resolve
> the problem and, when those failed, to court.
>
> After the lawsuit was filed, extensive media coverage and a vigorous
> public debate developed on the issue. Unfortunately, some people
> expressed themselves in a hateful, angry manner toward the school and
> others involved in the controversy. ADF deplores such uncivilized
> behavior on all fronts: such crude behavior by any person does nothing
> to further reasoned discussion of the fundamental rights at issue.
>
> ADF is America’s largest legal alliance defending religious liberty
> through strategy, training, funding, and litigation.
>
> www.telladf.org

Hi Tom, Thanks for your interest. Many of us parents here at the school have written to the ADF asking them to retract this story, and they have ignored us. We are getting the distinct impression that they are more interested in publicity than truth.

This leaves us with the option of contacting sites, such as this one, which have posted articles based on the ADFs false claims, and asking the site to be responsible. I've found most to be honest sites willing serve the truth by simply removing the content, or better still, at least giving their readers some pointers to more truthful sources.

The "Parents" site in my last posting contains eyewitness, firsthand information from dozens of parents who volunteer at the school; as well as numerous photographs. If you need even more proof the ADF story is false, check the links on our website to article in the LA Times & San Jose Mercury news articles - they back us up 100%. It's also worth noting that Stephen Williams himself asserted on the Hannity & Colmes show that the ADF statement that "The Declaration of Independence was banned" was (in Williams exact words) "a bit of a stretch".

You wrote:" I would simply say that I'm not aware of a single article by the Christian news sources used by Christians Unite that has been proved false or malicious."  Well, there's a first time for everything. People can claim to be Christian and still lie. The ADF press release initially fooled a lot of good people, but has definitely been proven false. "Malicious" is matter of opinion.

If you want more information WRT any aspect of this situation (and it's not on our web site)  feel free to email me.

It's been upsetting to me personally to have my children's school under the sheriffs protection. I get some solace by remembering the words of a famous Christian Preacher:

"Let no man drag you so low as to hate". -MLK

This web site carries an ADF story at this link:
http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion01908.shtml

The trouble is, it's just that: a story. No truth to it. My children go to the school in question.

http://www.stevenscreekparents.org/

The totally innocent (and mostly Christian) staff of this fine school were the victims of over 3000 alleged "Christians" who phoned in threats and profane hate messages because of this false and self promoting ADF story.

I'd encourage you all to write the webmaster of this sight and ask that he/she apologize and set the record straight.