Policy for Responding to Challenged Materials

Mount Paran Christian School’s (MPCS) mission states, “Providing academic excellence in a Christ-centered environment, Mount Paran Christian School unites with home and church to prepare servant leaders to honor God, love others, and walk in Truth.” As such, Mount Paran Christian School is a covenantal Christian school with a specific mission to partner with Christian families in the preparation of their children for a life of flourishing, service, and leadership, all to the glory of God.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we seek to do all as if unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23), which compels each student to live, love, and learn with the whole heart and mind. Likewise, as a liberal arts institution, we seek to develop a breadth of knowledge within all of our students, as ultimately, a liberal education is one that is meant to be freeing. At MPCS, we agree with St. Augustine that all truth is God’s truth, and, we, therefore, understand we are called to explore life’s many mysteries, ask big questions, and confront our fears and doubts.

Because we are insistent our students develop the skills necessary to pursue and find God in every aspect of life, we read secular materials, both primary and secondary sources, and make every effort to select quality literature that drives critical thinking and close reading, illustrates complex characterization and universal thematic relevance, lends itself to productive discussion throughout the curriculum, and seeks to enable our students to understand such material through a biblical lens. At times, this can bring about questions from students and parents about the validity and suitability of the materials being explored. As a result, the following procedures have been put into place to deal with such challenged materials.