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The Courier- Journal, one of the largest newspapers in Kentucky, featured a story on conservative summer camps on the front page of their website today. The article describes camps organized by members of the 9/12 Project that seek to educate children on history, faith, hope and charity in fun and innovative ways.
The C-J writes:
DANVILLE, Ky. — Eighteen children filed into a small church here one evening last week to learn about the principles of American liberty — including lessons on the failures of communism, the Constitution's Biblical roots and gold's superiority to government currency.During the five-day Vacation Liberty School, talks, skits and activities mixed conservative values and early American history, including stories about how colonists' prayers once helped turn back a threatening French fleet and the principle of equal opportunity, but not necessarily equal results.
It marked the latest of a growing number of Vacation Liberty Schools, volunteer-run programs for children mostly aged 10-15 that resemble a mix between vacation Bible school, U.S. history and Tea Party-style conservative ideas that supporters say aren't taught in public schools.
They're run by members of conservative commentator Glenn Beck's 9/12 Project, a group that holds to a series of nine principles, including “America is good,” God is “the center of my life” and “My spouse and I are the ultimate authority, not the government,” which “cannot force me to be charitable.”
“What we need to do is get this country back on track,” said Penny Lister, of Perryville, who brought her 9-year-old son, Jacob McCowan, to the Danville session to “learn about responsibility.”
The first Liberty school was held in Georgetown, Ky., in 2010 by 9/12 members including Lisa Abler, who fashioned a curriculum and made it available for free online on the Vacation Liberty School website.
Since then, the summer schools been held in Owensboro, Versailles and Danville. An estimated 1,000 children have attended 40 similar schools across the country this year in states including Florida and Michigan, most using a curriculum developed in Kentucky, according to Eric Wilson, head of the Kentucky 9/12 project.
The lessons on founding-father history and virtues, peppered with patriotism and faith, has proven a draw for 9/12 members, Tea Party followers and other conservatives, said Wilson, whose 9/12 groups has about 3,000 members whose 13 chapters meet monthly,
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