Springboro Constitution Class Has Religious And Political Ties, Suggest Parents

Parents Outraged Over 'Religious' Constitution Class

Tensions ran high Thursday at a board of education meeting in Springboro, Ohio.

In addition to discussing the possibility of adding creationism to the school's curriculum, the community weighed in on constitution classes the district plans to offer this summer, reports local outlet WDTN-TV.

The public summer classes will being taught at the National Center for Constitutional Studies and the Institute on the Constitution, according to flyers obtained by The Huffington Post. As The Associated Press reports, both groups say they are non-religious and non-partisan, but the National Center for Constitutional Studies purports that the Constitution is a product of divine inspiration," while the website for the Institute on the Constitution reads, “There is a God, the God of the Bible. Our rights come from him.” In addition, it has been alleged that the Institute on the Constitution's founder, Michael Petroutka, is an “active white supremacist.”

The material from the summer course may be offered at the district's high school next year, a point which some parents objected to at this week's board meeting. One parent went so far as to call for the resignation of the school board’s president, who also presides over the county’s tea party group, according to ABC local affiliate WKEF.

Board President Kelly Kohls could not be reached for comment.

The community also continued a debate about whether area schools should teach creationism as part of a new controversial issues curriculum.

"Our founding fathers believed in more than just a presentation or an open discussion between student and teacher. For the most part they believed that religious discussion would be an integral part of their experience," said pastor John Brooks, according to WDTN-TV.

The school board introduced the idea of adding creationism to the school's curriculum in May. The proposal has been opposed by parents and the American Civil Liberties Union, which wrote a letter of objection to the district.

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