On Nov. 22 Stephen Williams, a teacher at Stevens Creek School for six years, filed a lawsuit against the principal and the Cupertino Union School District. Described in his law suit as an orthodox Christian, Williams alleges his constitutional rights were violated during the 2003­2004 academic year when, according to him, Stevens Creek Principal Patricia Vidmar screened his lesson plans and class materials for references to God and Christianity. William is seeking a change in policy and nominal damages including attorney's fees.

According to the court filings, the documents Williams used in his class include President Bush's National Day of Prayer 2004 statement, a handout listing religious clauses in state constitutions, a fact sheet titled "What Great Leaders have said About the Bible" and three paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence.

Williams' claim that he cannot use the Declaration of Independence in his curriculum has become the central focus for thousands of emails, faxes and phone calls to the school, the district, the city and even the Cupertino Courier.

Since the filing of the lawsuit, Jeremy Nishihara, CUSD spokesman, said the district has received more than 2,000 emails from around the United States, and between 200 and 300 phone calls.

"While some of the emails have been reactionary and ludicrous," Nishihara said, "there have also been expressions of support."

Sarah Beetem, a fifth- and sixth-grade teacher at Stevens Creek Elementary, said by Dec. 1 the school had received some "3,000 nasty, obscene faxes, telephone messages and emails." She said they included personal attacks, hate mail and obscene messages and that callers have also left angry messages on individual teachers' voice mail.

"It's shocking to a lot of us here at school," Beetem said. "You can only read so many of those faxes and emails without becoming upset."

She also said she thinks most of the messages have come from outside of Cupertino.

Jane McClurg, a second-grade teacher at Stevens Creek, said the community has been very supportive, sending flowers and volunteers to help with the phone calls.

As she spoke during a telephone interview at the end of the school day, McClurg said there were three police cars posted outside the school.

McClurg hadn't received any emails addressed to her, but said other teachers had shared their messages with her. "They weren't pretty," McClurg said.

The emails come from all over California and the United States, including states as far away as Texas, Florida and Alabama.

And the Stevens Creek story has aired on national news networks such as Fox Television and international wire services such as Reuters, and it has become fodder for talk show hosts such as Rush Limbaugh.

Williams said he finds the level of hate mail that's come in to the school disturbing. He said he's gotten his own measure of hate messages, but said he's mostly received support mail. He said he thought that he would file his lawsuit, there would be some discomfort between him and the principal, that it would get to trial and be resolved. "Not in my wildest dreams did I think it would be like this," Williams said. "National media attention seems to draw out the extremists," he said.

Nishihara could not comment on the documents or on the nature of the lawsuit, but he did say the district has taken precautionary measures at Stevens Creek.

He said, the district has added an additional administrator to Stevens Creek to help field the messages and callers. The district's two school resource officers, who act as extensions of the police, are also checking regularly on the school. So far there have been no protestors or demonstrations. In addition, Nishihara said Superintendent William Bragg has gone to Stevens Creek to speak with parents.

Cupertino Mayor Sandra James said she has received a number of messages from across the United States. "[Individuals] have mistakenly assumed the schools fall under the authority of the city," she said.

James, however, does have unique insight on the school district, having previously served on its board.

"I can assure you," she said in response to the charges in Williams' lawsuit, "the Declaration of Independence, [the] Constitution and other documents are taught verbatim."

Beetem said she uses the documents in her curriculum, bringing in religion in a historical context. For example, she said "We talk about the pilgrims and why they left England." she said. "The full text of the Declaration of Independence is in the textbook."

"I'm a Christian," she said, "but I don't bring my religion into the classroom." She said she's never had a problem with using any historical documents in her classes.

But Beetem said, things are tough right now. The staff is struggling to deal with the deluge of messages coming into the school. "We are hanging together. Everyone here is supportive," Beetem said. "[Principal] Patricia Vidmar is a wonderful support for all of us."

Williams said he tried to say he's sorry for what the staff is going through, but the deluge of hate mail has made it awkward. There have been tears shed by the staff. "I love this school and have loved working with the staff for the last six years," he said. He said he told the principal this was not personal against her." But he said it's been pretty stressful.

And it seems Williams has had a good relationship with the staff since he started teaching there. Another teacher at the school, who does not want to be identified, said that Williams is a good person. "We respect him," the teacher said. And, contrary to some news reports, Williams is still teaching his fifth-grade class.

Beetem said, however, that this widespread focus on the school is embarrassing to the staff because of what so many in the nation are thinking about them.

According to Nishihara, the students are proceeding as usual at school.

Beetem agreed. "We don't talk about it in front of the children," she said. "Some say they saw their school on television, but that's about it. This is a wonderful place."

McClurg, a teacher for 15 years, echoed this theme of school pride and said there is also a strong sense of support for Principal Vidmar.

"The staff has been very united," she said. "What's important [right now] is educating the children and going about the routine of school. We'll rise above it."