CORE VALUES
Faith
(1) We will protect the Religious Liberty of all our students and families. This means that absolutely no one will be coerced, pressured, instructed, or put into a position to violate their faith. Moreover, no child would receive instruction that would undermine a sincerely held religious belief.
(2) We recognize the First Amendment codifies every person's right to free exercise of their Faith. Therefore, we intend to provide an environment where voluntary expressions of Faith are welcome.
(3) As the law provides and with written parental consent, elective opportunities, inclusive of Faith-related elective opportunities, may be provided to a student by board-approved 3rd parties.
(4) We are cognizant of the inter-relation between Faith and the history of our country and would consider it appropriate to include references to such in the appropriate academic or historical context.
(5) We believe that 'political correctness' has been taken too far with respect to Christmas and Thanksgiving Holidays. We do not consider it a violation of the establishment clause to include observances or celebrations of these holidays because they are woven into the American fabric and there is no compelling reason to rip that which is so beloved from our traditions and culture.
(6) We believe in the fundamental right of a parent to direct the care, teaching, and education of their children. As such, we pledge to never contradict the moral guidance that parents provide their children. This means that we would never compel or force exposure to subject matter that a parent had a sincere objection to.
FAMILY
(1) We recognize that Family is the institution that our institution must serve and we will treat Families as customers because their tax dollars make public school possible.
(2) Parents are the first and primary teacher of a child. Public schools serve to augment the efforts of the parent. Academic and learning outcomes will be achieved through cooperation with Families.
(3) There is no substitute for Family.
FREEDOM
(1) As Jefferson wrote:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are
created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain
unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the
Pursuit of Happiness. --That to secure these rights, Governments
are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent
of the governed, -- That whenever any Form of Government becomes
destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to
abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation
on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them
shall seem most likely to affect their Safety and Happiness"
As such, We the Parents believe that the school board is instituted to oversee all public school officials to ensure that those officials are in accordance with the consent of those they service. And because our current boards do not comport with the fundamental relationship between themselves and those they serve, our intention is to elect board members who are committed to such.
(2) American Freedom is unique in the world and was bough with sacrifice of life and limb. A school board that tramples the fundamental rights of its constituents is unfit for office.
(3) In contrast to collectivist/Marxist countries, American freedom holds at its center, legal protection afforded to individuals. As such, board policies will not be based on group identities. School officials will be prohibited from receiving training and making determinations and providing instructions relating to race, gender, or sexual orientation classifications except for that related to the limited separation between male and female in traditional settings such as team sports and certain facilities requiring privacy.
(4) We believe that parents should be free to select the educational opportunities that they determine will be best for their children. And no matter if that choice is for public school, home school, or a private school, the funding allocated for those children should be available to those parents to direct as they see fit. Again, government is not instituted to serve government, rather government is instituted to serve the governed. It is a perversion to deny the family the use of resources that they themselves have provided.
(5) Freedom is preserved by adherence to rule of law. As such, School Boards should operate within the law including the United States Constitution, the Constitution of the State of Michigan, and Chapter 380 of the Michigan Compiled Law (i.e. the school code).