Posted on 12/26/2009 1:06:10 PM PST by Colofornian
CHICO —
Changes in the curriculum at Crosspoint Academy have some parents, including prominent radio host Delilah Rene Luke, concerned the private Christian school in Chico is straying from its biblical focus.
But school leaders defend the changes, saying the new materials will grow the school’s 290 students into the next generation of Christian leaders.
“The idea that Crosspoint is still fundamentally rooted in strong Christian values and delivers a curriculum with a Christian perspective in mind has not changed and that has never changed in this process,” said Eric Rasmussen, superintendent of schools for Crista, the Christian ministry organization that owns Crosspoint.
The school, formerly known as King’s West, announced this fall that it had a new plan for a curriculum focused on leadership and on five pillars: critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, contemplation and cultural competency. Much of the work has been based on “The Leader In Me,” a program for students from Stephen Covey, author of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.”
The emphasis on Covey’s work is what most concerns Delilah. She recently disenrolled three of her children from Crosspoint.
“I would like to say that I am merely ‘deeply concerned’ about a recent addition to the school’s teaching philosophy, but instead, I am forced to admit I am actually HORRIFIED by the recent addition of a book by Mormon author Steven (sic) Covey,” she wrote in a Nov. 24 open letter to Crosspoint parents.
Further, she wrote that she believes in freedom of religion and does not object to Mormon beliefs or the yoga-type, Eastern religion activities Covey advocates. She said in a recent interview, however, that the materials don’t belong in a Christian school.
“It’s not about being intolerant. It’s about being true to my faith,” she said. “I don’t have a problem with Stephen Covey and businesses that use it. I don’t have any problem with people who want to sign up for yoga classes or attend the church of Satan if they want to. That’s their right. But I can’t imagine someone paying money to send their kids to Brigham Young University so they can get a good basis in Mormon faith and then having their kid come home and saying his new teacher was a Catholic priest teaching the Apocrypha.”
After her letter circulated, Delilah held an informational meeting in Port Orchard for Crosspoint parents. About 30 attended. She also received many supportive e-mails. But the parents contacted by e-mail by the Kitsap Sun about the controversy either declined to be interviewed or did not respond.
Covey has denied in recent years that his leadership materials are repackaged Mormonism. But Delilah is concerned that the leadership materials introduce Mormon tenets in a way that is palatable to non-Mormons.
“He intends to indoctrinate the world with his theology by wiring it in a way that people can accept,” she said.
Delilah questioned whether Crista and Crosspoint leaders were aware of Covey’s beliefs before they adopted the materials. But Rasmussen said the bigger question is whether Crista schools only take materials from Christian publishers. The schools draw from a wide variety of materials and “we will continue to seek and find the best resources and put them in the hands of outstanding Christian educators,” he added.
Additionally, Rasmussen said teaching at Crosspoint goes well beyond “The Leader In Me” to focus on the five pillars. For example, he said, the core value of contemplation means to be “people of reflection.”
“From a Christian standpoint, that means kids would meditate on their faith and the significance of biblical truth in their life, or they would read and think contemplatively about great literature.”
“We believe leaders do these core things, that kids should be contemplative in life and think about next step, about what God has in store and in place for them.”
Delilah said smaller issues have led her to believe Crosspoint is trying to rebrand itself to attract families familiar and comfortable with Covey, but not perhaps with Christianity. A plaque with the Ten Commandments was recently moved from a prominent spot in the school’s main hallway to a not-so-prominent classroom. A “Seven Habits” poster advocating meditation was put up at Crosspoint, with a Bible verse taped to it “as if to make Eastern religion acceptable to the Christian,” Delilah wrote in her Nov. 24 letter.
“They even changed the school’s name to take the Lord’s name out,” she said.
Further, school leaders did not properly inform parents of the changes until the beginning of this school year, giving them little time to understand or react, she said.
But Rasmussen said the school’s changes are not about rebranding, rather it’s trying to improve on past success in academics and extracurriculars.
“We’re thrilled in terms of where we’re going and moving forward to make this great school better to be really intentionally focused,” he said. “We see the need in terms of this world for good intentional Christian leaders who will lead in their churches and their communities and their homes.”
A comment on the article by a member of the staff of the school:
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/dec/25/changes-in-crosspoints-curriculum-draw-ire-from/?partner=popular
I’m disappointed this article was even considered newsworthy. This piece lacks a lot of information and is full of a bundle of misrepresentations from Ms. Luke.
I was a part of the strategic planning committee last year that adopted a new emphasis / direction for the school. One that focuses on increasing academic rigor while improving technology and increasing foreign language / ‘cultural connectivity’ across the entire K-12 community. The emphasis was also formulated around the “FIVE Cs” discussed above and we chose to develop a theme we would focus around.... LEADERSHIP. Developing the young leaders of tomorrow. Who could argue with a goal of distinctly focusing on developing leadership skills in our next generation?
It is important to me that Crosspoint Academy is comfortable for ALL kids to attend, whether they are seeking a Christian environment or simply seeking a strong, academically challenging curriculum in a small, safe and non-judgmental learning community. Regardless, the mere suggestion that the focus on leadership is leading to Mormon teachings is quite a stretch. We are talking about some simple leadership principles being taught starting in elementary... like “Do first things first - don’t procrastinate” or “Develop ‘win win’ agreements” or “Seek first to understand before trying to be understood” Are these three leadership habits threatening to anyone so far? Would you be concerned if your kids were learning not to procrastinate?
The suggestion by Ms. Luke that “this is not about being intolerant” is surprising! I attended one of her meetings on this issue. It’s ONLY about being intolerant. It’s about misrepresentations and judgements. Most of these judgements aren’t even about the quality of the content... just about the theology of the man who wrote it. Regardless, and without any judgment one way or the other, nobody at Crosspoint is adopting Mr. Covey’s theology, they are learning about another topic he happens to be one of the world’s leading teachers of... Leadership.
Prior to this fall there was approximately 18 months of invaluable consulting work and planning done. The staff worked like never before through the entire summer to be prepared this fall. It’s been quite an accomplishment they should be proud of.
Ms. Luke... You have the right to pull your kids if you are not happy... but don’t try to purposely foment hardship on our hard working school community while you do it.
As parents with high expectations, we are increasingly THRILLED with Crosspoint Academy. Our girls love it! The relationships they have built with their classmates as well as the loving and compassionate staff are invaluable. There is already an increased tech presence and the rigor will continue to ramp upward. We will continue to see almost every one of our graduates attending college every single year and we will continue to develop unique and competent leaders of tomorrow.
Dr. Brian Petersen
You are about to be attacked by the Mormon bashers. They do not take kindly to any who disagree with them on one of “their” threads. Since you have a connection with the school and appear to well informed about what is going on, I may be proven wrong. I certainly hope that will be the case.
Thanks for your post, nice to hear from a voice of reason.
HAH! Read your post #100.
We have seen all these mormon ploys used time after time after time..."Poor little persecuted me, you-all are just picking on the mormons...WAHHHH!"
Trying to dodge the words of the mormon scriptures and leaders by using that old accusation..."some people have learnt how to cherry-pick quotations and how to cut and paste hundreds of lines without any explanation"...when the words are those of mormon leaders.
FReepers are not the prospects of the mormon mission field. The meat of mormon doctrine is all too available to be offered up in place of the soured milk doled out to the thousands of innocent contacts who are told it is the gold of salvation.
THIS particular statement is the epitome of cynicism: your only desire is to destroy the faith of all those who believe differently from you. I thought that a Christlike person would want to build the faith of others and not destroy it.
Destroying the faith of Christians in order to substitute mormonism has been the aim of the LDS church since its inception.
Ezra Taft Benson, former mormon "prophet": "Second, the Book of Mormon exposes the enemies of Christ. It confounds false doctrines and lays down contention. (See 2 Ne. 3:12.) It fortifies the humble followers of Christ against the evil designs, strategies, and doctrines of the devil in our day. The type of apostates in the Book of Mormon are similar to the type we have today. God, with his infinite foreknowledge, so molded the Book of Mormon that we might see the error and know how to combat the false educational, political, religious, and philosophical concepts of our time.
The Book of Mormon Is the Word of God
From YOUR post, "I thought that a Christlike person would want to build the faith of others and not destroy it."
Benson doesn't seem to agree.
Try 8-14 in reply #10.
Could you point me back to the post where YOU answered what JOSEPH SMITH learned to be UNTRUE about PRESBYTERIANism?
I've seem to have misplaced it.
Perhaps MITT can take night classes or something to get him ready for the next primary season.
“some people have learnt how to cherry-pick quotations and how to cut and paste hundreds of lines without any explanation”.
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Well, grey, it IS a true statement, what Urroner left out is that it is THE LDS that cherry pick and fail to provide explanations, even with the Word of God. They should really be ashamed of themselves.
Ezra Taft Benson, former mormon “prophet”: “Second, the Book of Mormon exposes the enemies of Christ. It confounds false doctrines and lays down contention. (See 2 Ne. 3:12.) It fortifies the humble followers of Christ against the evil designs, strategies, and doctrines of the devil in our day. The type of apostates in the Book of Mormon are similar to the type we have today. God, with his infinite foreknowledge, so molded the Book of Mormon that we might see the error and know how to combat the false educational, political, religious, and philosophical concepts of our time.
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OH GAG!
So, which of those seven principles is unChristian?
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Better question is which of them are Christian?
Christ says we are to meek, humble, broken, poor in spirit, and to focus and rely only on Him.
I can see these principles leading to pride, arrogance, and placing self and personal success at the center of ones life. Hmmm...I wonder what Christ would think of that?
So, the “irony” here is that Crosspoint Academy, which I assume is “Christian” and trinitarian, uses an author who is anti-trinitarian (and therefore anti-Christian)!
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Further irony along this line.
Crosspoint’s use of Covey’s materials provides Covey with royalties...
which in turn he gives 10% of to the LDS...
that use that money to turn around and print materials that declare all Christians “apostates”...
which are then used by Missionaries to try to convert unsuspecting Christians to Mormonism.
As for those who spew hatred and bigotry towards Mormons without respite on this site, stay away from me. I do not care to know you or have anything to do with you.
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Bigot.
Different book. My statement about the 7 Habits book still stands.
So, when I hear people that I don’t know or trust say things like “God runs my life,” “I have found Jesus,” or “God is my co-pilot,” those things are meaningless to me.
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Of course they are becuase you do not have a real relationship with Jesus Christ.
And those who claim to have a relationship with Jesus, yet behave in the ways you describe, their faith is up for question.
A real relationship, REALLY “finding Jesus”, changes a person’s heart and entire life. You cannot understand unless you experience it. And you cannot experience inside the LDS “program”.
Merry Christmas to you and all you hold dear.
But, those who simply wish to diss someone else’s religion,
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Well, as an “unchurched Episcopalian” I can see why you would see it this way.
However, we are not here to “diss” someone’s religion, rather we are here to show the errors of the LDS church, heresies according to traditional Christianity (Episcopal church included) using LDS quotes, comments, the Bible, and our own experiences.
I used to be LDS. I have since left and still have many friends who are LDS. I want them to have the scales removed from their eyes and to see Jesus as who He really is, the Savior of the world, not as a “footnote”, a man who us just a little bit better than us.
I apologize for my previous post.
I am a little cranky tonight (recovering from the chicken pox at age 40).
I hope you had a merry Christmas as well.
As I have said before, I have no interest in having a discussion with any of you. I don’t much care for what you have to say. I am only here to annoy you.
If I were kinder, more understanding, and more forgiving, I would have sympathy for the serious issues that you all seem to have. But, that’s not me. I just don’t like you.
As for those who spew hatred and bigotry towards Mormons without respite on this site,
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I can see how some would consider exposing mormon doctrine (and many things we post are about LDS doctrine) “hateful”, however, I do what I do out of love.
I was LDS for several years. I believed the doctrines that they do not tell “gentiles” (non-mormons) or investigators (like God has a wife, we will become Gods ourselves someday, God had sex with the Virgin Mary, Adam was God, Jesus was a polygamist).
Part of the reason I began to examine my beliefs, and compare them to the Bible, was because I Christian bookstore owner was bold enough to confront me on these things.
Boldness in witnessing is NOT for everyone. My goal is to make the LDS (both posters and lurkers) who read these threads to think and to examine their beliefs and compare them with what the Bible says.
That is ok, I like you. I even love you. I am commanded to.
And never fear, I don’t really get annoyed easily. You have to have a pretty thick skin to be on open threads here on RF, and I have been here since 2001.
Flame away, I can handle it with a smile.
And Jesus can take care of that “kinder, more understanding, and more forgiving,” part.
And there is nothing that you have said that I would disagree with
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