List of School Standards

At Mountain View Christian Academy, we believe that God has established standards to live by in His word.  It is our conviction that we must encourage students to rise to the standards God has set in His word, not mold the standards to meet the student. We expect students to show proper respect in the following areas:

Authority (teachers, parents, administration) - Romans 13:1

Peers (fellow students, siblings) – Philippians 2:3

Self (physical, mental, social, spiritual health) Galatians 6:4, Psalm 139:13-16

Property (the building and grounds, furnishings, others’ property) - Matthew 25:14

Age (any adult or staff person) - Leviticus 19:32

Nature (God’s creation) - Psalm 24:1

There are three rationales behind which we establish all school rules and standards.

• Biblical absolutes – We believe God’s laws are an aspect of His love for us.  There are direct commands of God in the Bible that should be a part of our students’ and any Christian’s lifestyle.  These are commands that are absolutes and do not vary with time, culture or interpretation.  For example, stealing, drunkenness, drug use, dishonesty, cheating, occult practices, pre-marital sex, adultery, and homosexual behavior are clear Biblical mandates forbidden by God in Scripture.  Attitudes such as lust, hatred, rebellion, and jealousy are also clearly spelled out as sin in scripture.  Thus, these types of Biblical absolutes create absolute standards for behavior and attitude.
  
  
• Biblical principles – God’s word also teaches us principles from which we can draw values to live by.  Showing respect for authority, age, peers, property, creation, and self are all biblical principles. The application of these principles may vary with time, culture, and interpretation; however, the principles will remain strong. For example, the Bible states that our bodies are the temple of God and we are to guard them from harmful practices. Therefore, we have standards regarding lifestyle choices we make. Scripture also teaches principles of modesty, appropriateness, guarding against every appearance of evil, and principles of stewardship. So you can see how many school standards can be drawn from biblical principles, but are not necessarily biblical absolutes.
  
  
• Administrative policies – In order to maintain general order and harmonious relationships, certain guidelines are established. Scripture sets forth principles such as modesty of dress, but the application of these is not defined. Therefore, we have set specific guidelines for acceptable attire and conduct to represent certain attitudes and train young people to make choices with their dress and behavior that reflect their Christian witness.  Certainly, there are no Biblical mandates or principles as to tardies, attendance, driving procedures, chewing gum, or eating in classrooms; but to maintain order and an environment conducive to learning, school standards are set as administrative policies and practices.
  
  

We want to help our students grow to their fullest potential in Christ by helping them understand the need for God’s absolutes and principles, in addition to the need for man-made administrative policies to provide standards for Christian living and create an environment of order and harmony. This can best be accomplished when a healthy relationship exists between the faculty, parents, and students. James Dobson has said that “Rules – Relationship = Rebellion, but Rules + Relationship = Respect.” We strive to draw our students into positive relationships with each other, with authority figures, and ultimately with God.

We have attempted to list various behavioral situations under each of these three categories - Biblical absolutes, Biblical principles, and administrative policies - to develop an overarching code of conduct for our students.