New 'Classical Academy' gears up for alternative STEM and liberal arts curriculum
A new school is being launched that organizers said will teach virtue as well as a liberal arts curriculum. In the fall of 2023, Columbus Classical Academy will open its doors. (WSYX)
A new school is being launched that organizers said will teach virtue as well as a liberal arts curriculum. In the fall of 2023, Columbus Classical Academy will open its doors.
Co-founder Dan Gibson is leaving his law office for the headmaster position. Gibson said they want to restore foundations in education.
“That means a return to some of the traditional teaching methods but also a rich and robust curriculum that is suitable not just for a human being but for an American citizen,” he said.
The new school has a website and a shield in red, white, and blue.
Gibson said their governing philosophy is not religious, but faith is one of their core values.
“We are principally about a philosophy of education that is good for every human being and we welcome all students from all backgrounds, from all faiths, from no faith at all," he said.
Emma King of Westerville is considering sending her children to the academy. King said there is a lack of diversity in education options in Central Ohio.
“I want my kids to be well-rounded, virtuous people that are capable of self-government and responsible, joyful lives,” King said. “Private schools offer basically the same things public schools do, and there is not a lot of room for parents who are looking for something more for their kids."
Some founders of Columbus Classical Academy decided to start their own school after the private Columbus Academy in Gahanna decided not to re-enroll their children. The women publicly criticized Columbus Academy for its stance on critical race theory.
Gibson said the new school is not anti-CRT.
“It’s really not anti-anything," Gibson said. "CS Lewis has a great quote in his book The Abolition of Man, that says the task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles but to irrigate deserts."
The academy is gaining its licensed curriculum from Hillsdale College.
“They have developed a world-class classical curriculum by the faculty at Hillsdale College and one of the biggest lifts for a new school is formulating a curriculum,” Gibson said. “Certainly I know there are folks who have a political ax to grind, would like to turn anything into a controversy. But above all we want to provide an option that is really just not available in the Columbus area."
The academy will begin as a K-8 school and plans to add one class a year to cover the high school grades.
Organizers are currently looking across Central Ohio for a place to locate the Columbus Classical Academy.
