San Jose, USA - The teacher whose discrimination lawsuit thrust Cupertino's Stevens Creek Elementary School into the national debate over religion in schools has withdrawn his case, with both sides agreeing to dismiss all claims.
No money will be exchanged, since both sides agreed to cover their own legal expenses. No school policies were altered.
``With a little bit of luck, Stevens Creek will be out of the spotlight, and I hope it stays that way,'' said parent Richard Crouch, expressing a widely held hope in a community upset at being characterized as anti-religious in publicity over the lawsuit.
Fifth-grade teacher Stephen J. Williams sued Cupertino Union School District's superintendent, the school board and the school principal last year, claiming that district officials singled him out because of his Christian faith when they restricted his use of historical documents with religious references.
District officials vehemently denied the claims. The settlement agreement, filed in federal court in San Jose on Thursday, restates the district's existing 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 -- so long as it is objective, age appropriate, and in compliance with curriculum.''
Williams and his attorneys could not be reached for comment Thursday night. Mark Davis, the lawyer representing the district, said terms of the settlement forbid either side from filing future claims based on the complaint.
The agreement specifies that both sides, when asked about the case, should say the matter has been resolved to the satisfaction of all parties.
The case was next due for a hearing in October. A federal judge in April threw out three of the lawsuit's four claims, including one alleging the district violated Williams' free speech rights.
Williams' suit, and his appearance on a cable television political program, fueled a media frenzy that rocked the Stevens Creek community. Sheriff's patrols were increased around campus when the school logged hundreds of phone calls soon after the broadcast, most from people outside California in support of Williams.