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Between 14 Mile & 15 Mile 10 HOURS: Mon. & Thurs. 8:30 a.m.-9 p.m., Tues. 8:00 a.m. - 6 p.m., Wed. & Fri. 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. SCHOOLS page 1 academy in a log cabin in Ionia, outside Lansing. Such a link will provide parents with additional teaching assistance and access to encyclopedias and other refer- ence materials. David Kallman, the school's founder and attorney, said there are Noah Webster students whose parents incorporate reli- gion into lesson plans but be- cause the academy itself is not suggesting or taking part in reli- gious curricula, he sees nothing wrong with parents teaching their own religious curriculum. The academy said it will not pur- chase religious courses for stu- dents. Mr. Kallman believes oppo- nents of the academy see this new way of educating children as a threat to public education. Rena's father, Dov Berkowitz, and nearly 20 other Orthodox Jews whose daughters are en- rolled in Noah Webster, don't agree with the controversy. Mr. Berkowitz said his daugh- ter's religious education is sepa- rate from the secular studies taught at Noah Webster. "This is a good system for us," said Mr. Berkowitz, who teach- es at the Lubavitch boy's school in Farmington Hills. "It allows my daughter the chance to learn at her own pace. I think this is a wonderful op- portunity that should remain available. I'm not saying close down the public schools, but an academy like this should be avail- able to people who want to make use of it." Opponents, particularly some members of the Jewish commu- nity, don't see it that way. Among the plaintiffs in the Noah Webster case is the Michigan Jewish Conference, an organization that maintains a presence in Lansing on behalf of Jewish communities throughout the state. "Our concern is that Noah Webster's proposed computer link-up does not meet the crite- ria of what the Legislature in- tended when it passed the charter school legislation," said Cindy Hughey, the director of the Michigan Jewish Conference. "We believe Noah Webster is a private school trying to seek pub- lic funding." John Truscott, a spokesman for Gov. John Engler, the state's leading charter school proponent, said the governor continues to support charter schools and be- lieves Noah Webster should be funded as long as it complies with the law. He would not say, how- ever, if Gov. Engler agrees with Mr. Kallman's argument that it is permissible for parents to teach religion because the academy is not advocating such teaching. Richard Lobenthal, the direc- tor of the Michigan regional of- fice of the Anti-Defamation League, looks at the issue from two perspectives. "From the standpoint of some in our community, whose chil- dren go to cheder or those who want the state to pay for parochial education, the prospects of state financial as- sistance could provide them with monetary relief," said Mr. Lobenthal. "On the other hand, the charter school movement is seen as a serious threat to pub- lic education." A coalition of Jewish organi- zations formed during last year's public school reform debate have also taken up the Noah Webster issue. "Noah Webster allows my daughter the chance to learn at her own pace." — Dov Berkowitz In the coming weeks, the coali- tion, made up of organizations like National Council of Jewish Women, the Anti-Defamation League, the Jewish Community Council and the American Jewish Committee, will try to identify the issues in this case that could be of particular con- cern to the Jewish community. "Traditionally, the Jewish community is a supporter of maintaining public schools and concerned about the separation of church and state," said Kathleen Straus, vice president of the Jewish Community Council. "Our fear with Noah Webster especially is that reli- gion will be taught and support- ed by public funds." Mr. Berkowitz wonders why so many people are in opposition. "Everyone has a particular in- doctrination or viewpoint," he said. "If I say you should love your neighbor, which is a reli- gious concept, would it be chal- lenged? All values are built on a religious heritage." CI Publicity Deadlines The normal deadline for local news and publicity items is noon Thursday, eight days prior to issue date. The deadline for birth announcements is 10 a.m. Monday, four days prior to issue date; out-of-town obituaries, 10 a.m. Tuesday, three days prior to issue date. 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