Core Beliefs

People share a fixed human nature; this nature is to be formed toward proper ends, not followed.
Children, while beautiful and precious, need direction, boundaries, and direct instruction by prudent and well-educated adults.
The aim of education is human formation – to ennoble hearts and minds and to grow citizens who not only cherish rights but also fulfill obligations.
Teachers ought to not only impart knowledge but also promote virtue in students by building habits in them and by modeling good character.
Humans should pursue knowledge, not merely for practical purposes but for its own sake.
Certain knowledge and skills must be mastered by children regardless of their natural inclinations and personal interests.
A good education will necessarily challenge students beyond their will; achieving good things often involves strong effort.
That the pursuit and defense of the good, true, and beautiful, and the contemplation of the summum bonum (highest good) are essential to our humanity.