Former students raise concerns about Christian school curriculum

References to the Loch Ness monster and an assertion that human beings and dinosaurs existed at the same time are among the concerns former students of Legacy Christian Academy brought about the school curriculum to the Legislature.

Caitlin Erickson and two others sat in the gallery to watch the government answer NDP questions on Thursday.

Legacy Christian Academy and other such schools in the province use the ACE (Accelerated Christian Education) workbooks. The ACE website says it uses Christian scripture as a foundation and integrates biblical principles.

Textbooks from the Bob Jones University Press are also used — some of which have been criticized elsewhere for racism and misleading explanations of historical events.

Specifically cited in the NDP’s questions is a Grade 12 biology textbook which uses biblical reference to support an assertion that humans and dinosaurs existed at the same time, when modern scientific understanding puts them billions of years apart.

Erickson, a former student at Legacy Christian Academy, said it’s the textbook she learned from when she took the class in 2005 and she and others had to relearn some things when they went to university.

Erickson said there weren’t any other resources to go to and students were punished if they questioned the material or spoke negatively about the school in any context.

She also talked about inappropriate themes in comics within the learning material, including racism and sexism.

A page from ‘Biology for Christian schools, second edition’ which former students say was taught at Legacy Christian Academy and may still be. (provided)

The factually incorrect curriculum isn’t the only problem Erickson sees with it. She said the students learn from workbooks and only through rote memorization.

“It’s learning in workbooks. There’s no broad discussions happening (and) there’s no development of critical thinking,” said Erickson.

“It’s not meeting the basic standard of education when you’re not developing kids’ ability to ask questions (or) to make those discernments because it really just fails them later on in life and they have to learn those skills.”

Erickson is part of the lawsuit against Legacy Christian Academy over allegations of abuse. She said as with the lack of regulation and oversight in that regard, she believes the government isn’t doing enough oversight of what students are being taught in these schools either.

When asked about the teaching materials, Education Minister Dustin Duncan pointed to the regulations that were put in place for Qualified Independent Schools in 2012. He said now, those schools are required to teach to the curriculum set out by the provincial government.

“That’s certainly my expectation that the curriculum is being taught, that the outcomes are being met using Saskatchewan curriculum and the resources that are in place and approved resources to achieve that curriculum,” said Duncan.

Duncan said he can’t speak to what happened in 2005 but said he didn’t want to confuse the matter and assume the same thing is being taught and the same emphasis is being put on it now — though Duncan couldn’t say for sure that it isn’t being taught. He just said he hasn’t heard any such reports from the ministry.

“It has not been raised with me by the ministry in terms of looking at the outcomes of the students (0r) that the students are not achieving the outcomes set out by the curriculum in Saskatchewan,” said Duncan.

Erickson and the other students said what they learned is still being taught in the schools. The assertion about dinosaurs comes from a biology textbook entitled “Biology for Christian Schools, 2nd edition.”

The curriculum list from the Saskatchewan Association of Independent Church schools (SAICs) — of which Legacy Christian Academy is a part — says “Biology for Christian Schools, 3rd edition” is needed to complete its Biology 30 class.

Duncan said curriculum and work plans are part of what regulators look at when they do their inspections of independent schools. Under the expanded regulations put in place over the summer, there are measures the province can take, including cutting funding, if the school isn’t up to standards.

“If there are more steps that need to be taken, we’re having that discussion with the ministry as we speak,” said Duncan.

The minister said teachers are given latitude to use resources to get the kids to the necessary outcomes, and there’s room given for other non-credit, sometimes faith-based learning around the provincially based curriculum.

The minister also said parents have the choice to remove their kids from these schools if they don’t like what is being taught; he said no one is “forced” to go to those schools.

The premier

Erickson and the other students who were at the Legislature on Thursday were also disappointed they haven’t been able to meet with Premier Scott Moe about their concerns around these schools and the abuse lawsuit.

“I’ve reached out to the premier’s office a few times and no response, and considering I am one of his constituents in his area, I find it concerning that I can’t even get an email back from my premier,” she said.

“It’s about not having this happen again, not having a lapse of regulations (or) not letting something go unregulated for this amount of time. It’s about children never going through the kinds of things that we’ve gone through.”