Patrick Henry College: Home schooled Neo-Con Training Ground

The Bible College That Leads to the White House

The campus is immaculate, everyone is clean-cut and cheerful. But just what are they teaching at Patrick Henry College? And why do so many students end up working for George Bush?

Michael Farris, a constitutional lawyer and general counsel of the Home School Legal Defense Association, founded the school in 2000 as a "Christian college blending classical instruction with apprenticeship methodology." It prides itself on the high number of White House internships secured by its students, whose SAT scores average over 1300.
Recent Internships Include the Following Offices & Organizations

But when 30% of you faculty resigns over issues of academic freedom, would you guess there
may be an administrative problem? Not if you Patrick Henry College, a school that's become the "ivy league" for home schoolers.

"A contentious debate at Patrick Henry College that began over theological differences, the interpretation of Scripture, and academic freedom has prompted 5 of the school's 16 full-time faculty members to announce they will not be returning to the conservative, Christian college next year. The announcements bring the total number of departing professors to nine in the past year, not including two adjuncts, as well as four senior executives who left in the past 18 months, departing professors say."
See Christianity Today Article:

The Lifeboat
The debate reached a head when Root published an article entitled "Of St. Augustine, the Teacher, and Politics" in the campus publication The Source. The piece argued that St. Augustine "deserves to be called a Saint because he was instrumental in making political philosophy palpable to Christians and vice versa. … [He] taught Christians how to engage the culture around them."

Soon after its publication, Root learned his contract was being "temporarily withdrawn" based on the article as well as a complaint from a student's parent over his use of the "lifeboat example" in class. Root said the illustration was used to explain Thomas Hobbes's state of nature argument. "Acting academic dean [Marian Sanders] told me I couldn't use that any more," said Root. "She said that there are some questions we can't ask in class or entertain."

College President says St. Augustine is in Hell:

According to "resigning" faculty:

Farris, a Baptist minister, (and president of Patrick Henry College) has publicly expressed views that have shocked some professors and students.
"He said St. Augustine was in hell," said Root. "I heard it with my own ears." Other professors and students said Farris has repeatedly disparaged Calvinist theology.


COLLEGE RESPONSE TO MEDIA REPORTS ABOUT DEPARTING FACULTY
(complete with "Talking Points")

Talking Point #4
4. One of the departing professors was dismissed, after announcing his resignation, for subsequently involving students in his classroom in a debate over faculty departures. This professor was asked to discontinue inappropriate, unprofessional classroom conduct and apologize; he refused.

What one Patrick Henry Student thinks of the curriculum.

Dear Diary,

"I sure am learning a lot about government. Mistrusting the government, overthrowing the government, why the government is too intrusive unless it's restricting something you don't like—college is opening up my mind to a lot of new ideas! (Did you know that the Constitution requires a separation of church and state? I always thought this was something the public school kids made up.) "