“PED warns charter school against religious teachings.” KRQE (NM), 11/2/2012
A letter from the Public Department of Education says some parents have complained a new charter school in Moriarty is using taxpayer dollars to teach religion.The letter was sent less than a month ago by Secretary-designate of Education Hanna Skandera, reminding school officials to follow state law.“What we provide here is a rigorous academic alternative,” says Roger Lenard, president of the Estancia Valley Classical Academy (EVCA) Governing Council...
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“Monkeys On Trial In The Estancia Valley?” New Mexico Central, 11/3/2012
We found ourselves not-too-terribly surprised to read recent articles (“Charter School Warned,” “PED warns charter school against religious teachings“) regarding accusations by the New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) that the Estancia Valley Classical Academy (ECVA) may have strayed over the line between religious and secular education. Our lack of surprise – and, to some extent, our amusement – stems from the fact that both articles mention an individual who was featured in the context of his views on “science” (including an apparent bent toward creationism or, at least, anti-evolutionism) in one of our previous articles (See our August 11, 2011 article, An Article About Articles). That individual, Roger Lenard, is variously described as “one of the school’s founders” and the president of the school’s governing council.Given the many references to Mr. Lenard’s reported creationist beliefs and purported attempts to insert them into academic curricula, we certainly understand why parents would be concerned about what may be taught in science classes at a school over whose curriculum Mr. Lenard likely wields substantial influence...
