Stone of Truth by Donna J. Farris
Chapter 7 - Values for all people
“I tell you the truth. I know where you live,” said the Watchers declaring His holy word. “I see you come and I see you go. You put on garments of cursing and mocking the same way you put on your clothing for the day. You thought I was blind, but your ways are ever before My eyes. You thought I was deaf, but I hear your rages against Me. How long should I put up with you? How long should I wait for your return?”
With flashes of lightning round about, from the midst of the throne a voice like the sound of thunder cried out, “Oh inhabitants of the earth, today if you hear His voice, harden not your heart. For salvation belongs to Him who was, and to Him who is, and to Him who is to come!”
When the facilities’ maintenance crew checked on the air conditioning unit, they discovered the main breaker switch to the power units had been turned off. There was speculation that some sort of electrical surge had flipped the switch. Some believed it was the work of protestors. Others said they saw someone from the Wisconsin Utility Company in the room adjusting the controls earlier in the day. A young janitor was convinced that the crows were somehow responsible. Mr. Potter, the Facilities Manager, said he didn’t care what caused the outage, and ordered the entire electrical system rebooted. Within minutes the environmental controls system was back online.
With cooler air now circulating throughout the gym it wasn’t long before Trinity and the other attendees began to feel much better. Trinity reached down and picked up her purse from the floor, hoping to find a tissue to wipe the moisture from her brow. Unzipping the center compartment of her handbag, she discovered the purple stone sitting inside one of the inner pockets. But the color was somehow different then when she had first seen the stone in the woods. Instead of its’ original soft hue, the stone was now a crystal clear, brilliant shade of deep purple.
“Now which one of those unicorns put this stone in my purse?” she wondered. “And what did they do to the color? I’ve never seen anything so beautiful!”
After securely fastening her purse so as not to draw attention to the odd purple light, Trinity indicated to those at her table she was ready to proceed. Mr. Yandel informed the board his client was ready to continue and within minutes Superintendent Mitchell resumed the hearing.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, we are ready to resume the hearing at this time. Will those present, please be seated. The board has heard from Mr. and Mrs. Simpson. We are now ready to hear testimony from Miss Woodard.”
Kurt Yandel stood and read a short, prepared statement which he and Trinity had earlier agreed upon. Concluding his statements, he sat down and looked at Trinity.
“Superintendent Mitchell, if there are no objections from the board, I would like to continue where we left off and respond to Mrs. Simpson’s last remarks,” Trinity said to the officials before her.
After conferring privately with his colleagues, Mr. Mitchell said, “The board has no objections. You may proceed.”
“As we began to discuss, Mrs. Simpson, I am not the one who has the right to judge you or your son’s behavior, however…”
Still fuming, Mrs. Simpson interrupted Trinity once again stating, “I suppose this is where you tell me stealing is wrong because god says so. Right? Well, I’ll save you trouble. We don’t believe in god, Miss Woodard. Therefore we don’t acknowledge any of your so-called ‘laws of god’ either.”
Having resumed his protective posture between the two tables, Eli leaned over and gently pressed the tip of his horn into Edith’s right shoulder. Unconsciously, she grimaced and squirmed uncomfortably in her chair. Maintaining slight pressure, Eli winked knowingly at his tender sister who by this time was once again standing peacefully at Trinity’s side.
At this point the Superintendent had heard enough of Edith’s rude and condescending comments. Signaling to Trinity of his intention to deal harshly with such persistent remarks Cameron said, “Mrs. Simpson...”
But Trinity quickly motioned to him, respectfully requesting permission to continue with the current dialogue. Cameron reluctantly granted her request.
Turning again to face her accusers, Trinity said, “That is an interesting perspective Edith. But I think the Plymouth Police Department would disagree.”
“Exactly what do you mean by that?” Mr. Simpson asked pretending to be surprised by the question.
“Suppose we phone the Sergeant on duty right now and ask him if stealing is a crime,” replied Trinity to the sly attorney sitting at the opposite table. “Without question, the officer would say, ‘What a ridiculous question. Of course it is!’
“Suppose I pressed the officer and said, ‘You mean if I confessed to taking $10,000.00 from the Plymouth Press, I would be arrested, put in jail, and stand trial for my actions? Then in court, eye-witnesses would offer testimony and supporting evidence would be presented. And finally, aided by my confession, a jury would find me guilty of the crime of theft?’
“The Sergeant would say to me, ‘You got it lady!’
“But suppose when standing before the bench for sentencing I pleaded with the judge saying, ‘But Your Honor, you don’t understand. I believe I am free to live my life choosing to do whatever makes me happy. You have no right to tell me my beliefs are wrong. I admit I took the money, but so what? I didn’t hurt anyone. And besides, the newspaper has lots of money. They’ll never miss a few thousand dollars.’
“Mr. Simpson, do you honestly think that judge would just look at me and say, ‘Gosh, I’m so sorry. Our criminal justice system has made a terrible mistake. Since you don’t believe stealing is wrong and no one was really hurt, you can go free’? Of course he wouldn’t. And why? Because the laws of this country say stealing is a crime.
“Mr. and Mrs. Simpson, like it or not, the laws of this country were founded upon the Ten Commandments contained in the Christian bible. One of those commandments states, ‘You shall not lie.’ Another states, ‘You shall not steal.’ No matter what you think about the origin or the author of those laws, you are still required to live by them. So you see I am not the one judging your son’s behavior. In truth, God is.”
Trinity paused to give the Simpsons time to reply, but Edith needed no time to prepare her retaliatory retort.
“Well before we left home this morning I told my husband I knew religion would come into this discussion sooner or later. But as I already told you. We do not believe in god.”
Trinity respectfully replied, “Mrs. Simpson, your unbelief cannot destroy God any more than my faith created Him. And the truth is man-made religions have nothing to do with this discussion. God has given all people the freedom to choose who they will serve. And you and your husband are certainly free to make that decision for yourself. But as citizens of this country, you are still obligated to obey its laws. And those laws state that in every situation and for any reason, it is always wrong to steal. That is what’s called, ‘a moral absolute’.”
Still indignant, Edith began to say, “Well, I have never heard anything so illogical, so ridiculous, so insane in all my life. I ...”
But Edith never got the chance to finish her sentence. As Eli pressed his horn more firmly into her shoulder, Gary quietly put his hand on top of his wife’s and firmly squeezed. And even with a string of inflammatory remarks ready to spew out of her mouth, Edith finally got the point. Rolling her eyes in disgust, she reluctantly shut her mouth and sat down. Eli removed his horn and patiently waited for Mr. Simpson’s reply.
Ignoring the whole topic of god, Gary said, “Miss Woodard, since you put it that way, I guess I’m beginning to see your point. Of course, we do not want to encourage our son to break the law. We just want him to be happy and enjoy life, free from the religious constraints and beliefs of others.”
“I was sure you felt that way, Mr. Simpson. Every parent wants their children to be happy,” Trinity replied. “But ‘religion’, as you put it, is not the problem our children need to overcome. The problem that needs to be addressed is the se
With that statement, Superintendent Mitchell said, “I believe we’ve heard enough. I move for a short recess, while the board discusses the resolution of this matter.”
As the school board left the room, hushed conversations could be heard throughout the gym. At the Simpson table, whispers and worried looks were exchanged. At Trinity’s table, quiet, fervent intercession continued. Less than fifteen minutes had passed when the school board returned to the gym with their judgment.
“It is the finding of this board that the evidence and testimony given today have failed to prove the Simpson’s allegations of gross misconduct on the part of Miss Trinity Woodard in the execution of her duties as an elementary teacher at this school. We find nothing in the supporting documents submitted to suggest any inappropriate, immoral or illegal behavior on the part of Miss Woodard in these matters as they may pertain to the governing district charter, County School Board of Education, or the laws of the state of Wisconsin. We further find that the instructional methods used by Miss Woodard are appropriate for teaching moral ethics to ten year old students and that such instruction is a vital component to responsible citizenship. Therefore we find no justifiable cause for punitive action of any nature. All requests for such actions made by the Simpsons are denied and summarily dismissed.
“Miss Trinity Woodard is hereby reinstated as an instructor at this school and will resume her teaching duties at the beginning of class on Monday morning.
“In addition, the Sheboygan County School Board of Education wishes to remind the residents of this county and to a greater degree, citizens of this nation, of the crucial role the Ten Commandments played in the formation of this great nation. Our very judicial system, both civil and criminal, was founded upon the biblical principles contained in these laws. Indeed, western civilization in its entirety was established and has prospered and thrived upon the principles derived from these divinely inspired writings.
“Therefore, while the members of this board will neither endorse nor promote one religion over another, neither will we disregard or erase two thousand years of human history in order to please a handful of individuals who happen to disagree with the source and force of these principles.
“Our founding fathers believed that without the timeless truths contained in the Bible, we as a people, as a nation, would not be able to understand the difference between right and wrong. And with no universally accepted moral standard to restrain our actions, this nation would crumble under the egotistical rule of ‘whatever I want, I have a right to do.’ If the Holy Scriptures have been such a guiding force in the lives of presidents from Washington to Lincoln down to presidents of this century, then such words should remain a vital part of the education of students entrusted to our care more than three centuries later.
“Therefore in our attempt to ensure a moral heritage for our children and their posterity, as well as the continuance of a free and prosperous nation consistent with these principles, this board will not prohibit the public display and classroom discussion of the Ten Commandments anywhere on Sheboygan County school property. This meeting is now adjourned.”
With that statement, the room erupted into applause as hundreds of parents stood to their feet, clapping, cheering, and hugging one another in support of the verdict. Others, disgusted by the outcome, hurriedly left the gym in silence. Trinity let out a huge sigh of relief as she reached over and wrapped her arms around both parents at the same time. Smiling at the victory of his client, Kurt Yandel shook hands with Mr. Woodard and then with Pastor Jamison.
“Glory to God in the highest!” was the victory shout of the numerous other-worldly creatures still present in the gym.
“If you all don’t lower your voices, they will hear you,” Jasmine playfully cautioned. But even with her caution, she had no real desire to hinder the celebrations of her kindred brethren.
Throwing his notes into his brief case and slamming the lid shut, Gary walked straight to the center of the gym to address Cameron Mitchell directly.
“You realize this is not over. You will be hearing from our lawyer bright and early Monday morning when we sue you and every single member of this school board for violating our son’s constitutional right to freedom from religion. The next time you see me will be in a real court of law!”
He and Edith then stormed out of the building followed by their two legal advocates. Although swarms of reporters were still camped on the sidewalk eagerly waiting to interview those exiting the gymnasium, the Simpsons refused to address anyone from the media. Pushing aside the barrage of microphones and TV cameras being shoved in their faces, they quickly made their way to Gary’s BMW parked around the corner. Once safely inside the brand new automobile, Edith erupted into yet another angry tirade.
“Who does that woman think she is? Embarrassing us like that in front of the entire community. I’ll never be able to show my face again at that school. So much for your hotshot buddies and their brilliant legal strategy! Religion! Ugh! I’m surprised she didn’t try to convince us that angels ‘unaware’ were in the gym during the hearing.”
As the jubilant Woodard family and their supporters exited the building, Yandel paused at the top of the stairs to address the news-hungry reporters. Reading from a short, prepared statement he said,
“We are pleased to announce the school board found no basis whatsoever for the outrageous charges brought against Trinity Woodard by the Simpson family. Members of the board ruled Miss Woodard was innocent of any wrongdoing in the performance of her duties as a fifth grade teacher. She has therefore been fully reinstated and will resume her educational responsibilities next Monday morning. We will not be answering any questions. Thank you.”
The triumphant group then moved swiftly down the steps through the crowd and onto the sidewalk. Carefully side-stepping chunks of broken glass and trampled garbage, they headed through the cluttered street to what was left of Mr. Woodard’s vehicle. Seeing the extent of the damage, not only to the car but to the entire school campus, a profound sadness began to overshadow the victory celebration. As the group quietly surveyed the massive destruction, Mr. Woodard was the first to break the silence.
“In one day a handful of out-of-town rebels have destroyed what used to be a beautiful school campus. Pretending to care about the needs of children, their cruel and heartless actions have actually caused great pain to those least able to understand why.”
Pausing for further reflection, he softly added, “It’s always the children! It’ll take weeks for the school maintenance crews to clean up this mess, and even longer before the children feel safe again.”
As the group nodded in agreement, Pastor Jamison offered to drive the Woodard family downtown to Stafford Street. Grandpa and Grandma Woodard were already waiting at 52 Stafford Hotel, having made prior arrangements for the group to have dinner at the restaurant after the hearing.
“Win or lose,” Grandpa Eddie had earlier teased Trinity, “you’ll still need to eat.”
Yandel and his staff had also been invited. Kurt said they would meet up with the party a little later.
Once everyone was comfortably seated at the restaurant, Pastor Jamison excused himself for a moment. In the lobby he made a quick phone call to Cameron Mitchell, inviting him to join the group celebration.
As Mr. Simpson pulled into his driveway, he pushed the button on the automatic garage door opener, but nothing happened.
“This darn thing is still not working. Edith, I’ve asked you a dozen times to get it fixed. I swear, we’ve been married for fifteen years and you still don’t care about anyone but yourself!”
“If it’s that important to you, you get it fixed!” Edith shot back bitterly. “Just park the darn car on the street for goodness sake. I’m tired and I just want to get into a hot bath with a glass of wine, and then go to bed!”
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Ignoring her husband’s spiteful comment, Edith slammed the car door, stormed up the porch steps and marched like a drill sergeant into the house. Gary followed in silence. Both parents hardly even noticed their son sitting in the living room playing Dragons, Dwarfs and Demons.
But Derrick was fully aware of his parent’s homecoming. He had been on pins and needles all afternoon waiting to hear whether his favorite teacher would be allowed to stay or not. Hearing the front door slam, Derrick threw down the video game controls and followed Gary into his office.
“Dad, what happened? Does Miss Trin get to stay?” Derrick asked his father.
Without looking up, Gary shuffled through the stack of letters on his desk and muttered, “Not for long, son. Not for long.”
Forgetting Derrick was still in the room, Gary then added, “That woman has no idea who she’s dealing with.”
Still standing in the doorway, Derrick continued.
“Dad, Jason Baxter came over after school. Don’t worry. We sat on the steps outside and just talked. He asked me over for dinner tomorrow night. He said I should be there by six o’clock. His mom is making an apple pie especially for me. Can I go? His house is just around the corner.”
Edith was listening to the conversation from the kitchen. As soon as she heard the name, “Jason Baxter” she came running down the hallway towards Derrick shouting, “That boy is not welcomed in this house, Derrick. Ever! Do you hear me?”
“But Mom,” Derrick protested, “Jason and I have become friends. I like him.”
“I don’t care,” his mom retorted. “I don’t want you being friends with anyone from that family and that’s final! Is your homework done?”
“But Mom, if you’ll just listen,” Derrick begged. “Jason told me about someone named, ‘Jesus’ and how he wants to be my forever best friend. He talked to me about a book God wrote called the Bible and I...” but Derrick never got the chance to finish his sentence.
“Has the whole world gone mad!” yelled Edith. “Never mention that name in this house again. And I forbid you to read the Bible or any other such ridiculous lies! Now go to your room. You can go to bed on an empty stomach for listening to such foolishness.”
“I must say Miss Woodard, I was impressed with the way you presented your case for absolute truth at the hearing,” Yandel said as the dinner dishes were being cleared from the table. “You should have been a lawyer.”
Pastor Jamison chimed in, “I couldn’t agree more. God has honored your faith, Trinity, and protected your position. I can’t wait to see how the Lord will use this victory for His glory in the days ahead.”
“Oh there is no question it was a significant victory,” Grandpa Eddie thoughtfully added. “But the battle is far from over. The enemies of the Christ are still on the move. And I suspect we have not heart the last of Mrs. Edith Simpson.”
“One day at time, Ed,” replied Pastor Jamison. “One day at a time.”
“Well, as far as my wife and I are concerned,” said a beaming Mr. Woodard as he leaned over and kissed his daughter on the cheek, “We could not be more proud of you Trinity. You will always be #1 in our book.”
Grinning from ear to ear, Grandma Rose then added, “And from now on, I think we’ll have to call you the “Truthful, Tender Teacher.”
Everyone at the table laughed as the restaurant staff served the group coffee and dessert.
It took Cameron almost an hour to work his way through the crowds of well-wishers, disgruntled parents, and news-hungry reporters. When he finally unlocked the door to his Honda Pilot and sat down in the front seat, he heard his cell phone vibrating. Remembering he had put the sound on “mute” during the hearing, he reached inside his briefcase to see who was calling. It was Laura. He could tell this was her fourth call within the past hour. He put the phone back in his briefcase, left the ringer on “mute” and drove to 52 Stafford Hotel.
“Tender Teacher gets to keep her job,” were the headlines in the Friday evening edition of the Plymouth Press.
The front page of the evening Sheboygan Sun Review read, “Plymouth teacher reinstated.”
“What happened to truth in America?” were the headlines on the cover of one national newspaper. The article, written by A.W. Ryak, a freelance reporter from Washington DC, stated, “We live in an age when society is telling people individual pleasures are the gods of the new world. While decrying the evils of so-called religion, many today are embracing a new deity of their own making; a deity who will allow them to pursue their personal passions without restraints, regardless of the consequences to themselves or others.”
Plastered on the cover of the evening edition of the Madison Capitol News, were the words, “Atheists demand change.” The lengthy article went on to state, “Following the decision today of the Plymouth School board to reinstate the embattled teacher, Miss Trinity Woodard, a Christian, atheists nationwide agree that religion is to blame for the decline of individual freedoms in American. And tomorrow, from around the country, they will make their voices heard on the steps of the state capitol as concerned citizens rally legislators for immediate action.” The article, signed “Edith Simpson, Political Action Editor,” went on to discuss the evils of religion in great detail.
Around ten o’clock that evening, Cameron placed a call to Laura Van Husen. He knew he would find her still at the gala. He also knew that she would probably have consumed a considerable amount of alcohol by that hour. But in good conscious, he could no longer postpone what he knew had to be said.
“Cameron! Where have you been?” answered the obviously upset and predictably intoxicated woman. “I’ve called you like twelve times since the hearing ended.”
“I’m sorry Laura. I told you it would be a crazy day,” Cameron replied.
“I heard all about the board’s decision. And I have to tell you, daddy…”
But Cameron interrupted her. “Laura, I’m really tired and don’t want to discuss it right now.”
“Ok, sweetie, maybe later. So… are you coming over the party? I’d really like to see you tonight.”
Cameron could hear the laughter of the crowd and the sound of loud music in the background.
“No, I’m already home and think I’ll just turn in for the night.”
“But Cammie, I miss you. Will I see you on the golf course Sunday morning, then? The Governor and his wife are joining daddy for a round of golf. Tee offs at 8 am.”
Cameron hesitated for a moment then said, “Laura, I can’t make it on Sunday. I’m going to church.”
“Church? You’re not serious. Have you gone over to the ‘dark side’?” she teased.
“Very funny, Laura. I’ve been thinking about it for some time now. It’s important to me and I’m going.”
There was an awkward silence between the two for several moments. Cameron could hear Laura whispering to someone on the other end of the line. It sounded like a man’s voice. Then with sharp sarcasm she finally said, “Well, I’m surprised at you Cameron Mitchell! I really am. I thought you were stronger than that, but I guess I was wrong.”
“I’ve been wrong too, Laura. About a lot of things,” replied Cameron. “And I think it’s best for us to stop seeing each other. Laura… we’re just on two very different paths. We just don’t want the same things in life. I’m sure you will be happy. And I’m sure your father will have no problem getting elected governor without my help. With all my heart, I wish you the best. Good bye Laura.”