Liberty School to Teach Principles of Founding Fathers

For retired U.S. Army officer Jeff Lukens, the principles on which this country was founded hold a certain allure. That’s why he founded the Tampa Chapter of the 912 organization. 

This summer, Lukens and other volunteers from Tampa912.org organized a week-long camp designed to teach the principles of the Founding Fathers to kids aged 6-12.  

That idea morphed into a Saturday workshop that begins on Oct., 1 and runs for five weeks.

“I am a patriot, and I wanted to give something back to the community that they weren’t perhaps getting,” said Lukens. “That includes teaching things like religious freedom, freedom of speech, and the right to self-defense, the pursuit of happiness, and the right to own property.”

Now a car salesman in Tampa, Lukens, a father of two grown children, said he is concerned that children may be missing something in school. Religion, for example.

“Public schools are hesitant to talk about God,” he said. “You take God out of the equation, and you miss the whole point of inalienable rights.”

Although nationwide 912 organizations have been linked to conservative activist and former radio commentator Glenn Beck, the Tea Party, and to www.constitutionalchampions.org, Lukens says the school won’t discuss who is in power today or political parties.

“It’s more about principles that are timeless, and we’re going to tell it like it is,” said Lukens, who recalls such things being impressed upon him through the Boy Scouts, as he was growing up.

“We’ve got a lot of good things about this country to celebrate,” he said. “School children should learn about those things.”

Lukens says the Carrollwood "Liberty School," which runs all day on Saturdays beginning on Oct, 1, will include a mixture of classroom lectures, discussion and activities.  This summer, activities based upon 12 guiding principles, as outlined by Beck, were used.

Those principles will be a portion of the curriculum, but Lukens said his group has been reshaping the summer curriculum to reflect some of what has been used by the group Constitutional Champions, which promotes patriotism through education, according to their website.

“We’re really going to stress history, the pivotal moment of the Revolutionary War, the forming of the Constitution, and different individuals that were involved and why they mattered,” he said.  

That includes Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Ben Franklin, Thomas Paine and John Adams.  Some of the games will show the difference between tyrannical leaders in Europe and the promise of the New World, says Lukens. He’s also quick to add that instructors will show that with freedom comes responsibility.

“The goal,” he said, “is to teach children about liberty as envisioned by the founders of this country.” 

Lukens says he was surprised by the turnout of home-schooled students this summer, and was also impressed by those who have stepped forward to help.  

“In July, we had two different individuals come up with books they gifted to the students,” he said. “People are anxious about the direction of the country and want to get involved in something. “  

The five-week series runs $25, and classes are taught by volunteers within the Tampa 912 organization. The  school can accommodate about 40 students, and currently, has signed up about 15. 

"Liberty School" will be held at Tampa Presbyterian Church, 14925 North Boulevard in Tampa. A second class starts on Oct 8. at the Boys & Girls Club in Brandon. To register, log on to http://tampalibertyschool.org/.