KINGMAN – The non-profit Excellence in Traditional Education (ETE) organization is working to harness the Hillsdale College curriculum and build a new school to provide Kingman area families a back to basics learning model.
A seven-member Board of Directors has launched a website as it makes public its effort to secure a ten-acre site and raise funds for a construction campaign. Director and State representative John Gillette says public education is failing, despite $11 billion in funding in Arizona.
“At grade level, only 30% of students in the classroom are testing at the minimum standards, so we are not getting a bang for our buck and then you add the DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion), the social indoctrination stuff and the ‘woke'”, Gillette said. “Parents have made it clear in this election, and across the state of Arizona, that traditional education, regular reading, writing, math, science and history, these are the things that parents want their kids to learn.”
Fellow Directors are on board.
“We’re going to be teaching U.S. history. We’re not going to teach the DEI, ESG (Environmental Social Governance) version of our past,” said Director Ray Riccardi. “We’re going to to talk about the founding of the country, the Constitution. We’re going to bring the history of our country forward.”
The option is sorely needed, agreed Riccardi’s wife Julie Champlain, also a Director who believes the option is sorely needed.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity because the curriculum that Hillsdale provides is traditional education without the DEI, without the social woke,” Champlain said. “The students will get reading, writing and arithmetic. They’ll get grounded in Americanism.”
Other Directors include Tom Beller, Barb Carpenter, Janet Wilson and Christine Eddy. Many other community members are supporting the mission in an advisory capacity.
The ETE website features a link allowing anyone interested to learn more about Hillsdale College and its curriculum based on the pillars of learning, character, faith and freedom.
“We have the Hillsdale curriculum,” Gillette said. “That’s about a $1.5-million curriculum package. Hillsdale has said we have qualified for it.”
Gillette hopes for a 2025 groundbreaking leading to construction of space for K-6 grade students before more building creates additional capacity for the 7-12 grades. The group continues to organize its effort, create public awareness and garner donations.
“Yes we are, and we’re going to be doing some fundraisers. We’re kicking around some ideas right now,” Champlain said.
“Go to traditionaleducation.org. Look us up. Look at the page. Learn about Hillsdale. Learn about who we are,” Gillette said. “If you’ve got a few bucks to spare, donate.”
