To the editor:

My family and I have enjoyed seeing the St. Louis Community College south county campus being built and my daughter looked forward to being part of the fall semester and planned on taking many of her general education courses here.

Upon purchasing four books for an American history course, my daughter was disappointed in the books selected for the course. I tried to reassure her, but it did not help much.

We arranged for a meeting with the professor and our disappointment turned to disgust after we were told we should attend another school. She made many outrageous statements: The Jesuit missionaries were not missionaries but the pope’s army and just killed people. She said I think American history has been presented too positively, so I intend to present the negative aspects. She has problems with organized church and religion.

I wonder if the Board of Trustees is committed to its nondiscrimination statement: “St. Louis Community College is committed to nondiscrimination and equal opportunities in its admissions, education programs, activities and employment regardless of race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, disability or status as a disabled or Vietnam-era veteran and shall take action necessary to ensure nondiscrimination.”

I can tell you after speaking with the leadership at the Meramec campus there was no commitment to four members of this community. We were told about academic freedom. Where is the academic freedom for a Christian to get an education? We believe American History I was not an accurate name for this class. It should have been called “A Negative Look at American History.” The course syllabus should have portrayed the course accurately.

The book “Devil’s Dominion” portrays the Massachusetts Bay Colony very inaccurately. Also one thing we found very interesting was that there was a teacher development class on anti-gay bias in the classroom. We believe there is an anti-Christian/American bias in this classroom that needs to be addressed by the board.

I’m certain if Dr. Martin Luther King was alive today — a brother in the Christian faith — he would be lending hand in this discussion of discrimination.

The book “Devil’s Dominion” had outrageous statements — the witches ministered healing and the Puritans preached propaganda. Next thing I might expect from this type of history is the Ku Klux Klan ministered healing and Dr. Martin Luther King ministers propaganda.

Both statements are false and do not belong in an American history course.

Tom Level

Oakville