Questions You May Have About The Christian Learning Center
What do you teach?
Our mission is equipping students to follow Jesus and make a positive impact in our community.
How is the CLC funded?
We are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. 100% of our support comes from donations from individuals, businesses, organizations, and churches within the community. The Christian Learning Center does not use any government/public school funds for operating costs nor public school buses for transportation. All CLC operating costs and transportation needs are funded through donated money.
What church‘s doctrine do you follow?
We teach the basic fundamentals of the Christian faith based on God’s Word and submit to the authority of the scriptures and not any one denomination. Our students represent a variety of local churches and some are unchurched.
How many classes do you have?
The CLC is a teaching ministry currently offering one class Monday - Friday per semester for middle school students at two locations. The class is open to all youth in the Cousins Middle School and Theme School (6-8th grades) communities. We also offer a high school Bible class in-person on Mondays and through interactive distance-learning Tuesdays-Fridays. It is open to all high school students in Newton County. In the future, we plan to become available to all Newton County secondary students.
Is it legal to teach the Bible?
Yes. In 1952 the U. S. Supreme Court declared that release-time programs are legal (Zorach vs. Clauson) as long as: no government funds are used for the program, the course is taken voluntarily with parent approval, classes are free to the students, and the class is held off the school campus. Christian Learning Centers in counties around us teach their CLC course during the school day for an elective credit toward graduation…off-campus, of course. Currently, Newton County CLC classes are taught before and after school.
What is a Christian Learning Center?
Most CLC's across Georgia are “release-time” programs where students are released from the public school, are transported to CLC campus using CLC transportation, are taught a course that uses Bible-based curriculum, and are returned to the public school campus to continue their school day. Currently, the Newton County CLC operates before and after school. NCCLC serves Cousins Middle School students through a class held before school in the fellowship hall of Oxford Baptist Church. The class time is from 7:30 - 8:40 a.m. CLC is also serving Theme School students, grades 6-8, through a class held after school in the fellowship hall building of First Baptist Church Covington. This class time is from 2:20 - 3:30 p.m. Both classes are taught Monday through Friday and follow the same calendar as the Newton County School System. NCCLC also offers a high school Bible class that meets in-person once a week on Mondays from 3:30PM-4:45PM at First Baptist Church Covington. The high school Bible class also offers interactive distance learning Tuesday-Friday, It is open to all high school students in Newton County.
