Date of Award
Spring 4-24-2019
Degree Type
Capstone
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Professional Writing (MAPW)
Department
English
Committee Chair/First Advisor
William Rice
Co-Chair
Melanie Sumner
Abstract
It turned out that the rules about Cabbage Patch kids and Troll dolls weren’t the only things that would leave lasting impressions on ATI students. This curriculum, as I was finding out, was more than just restrictions on toys and media consumption. ATI was the homeschooling program, but IBLP had rules and principles that touched absolutely every area of life. The homeschooling and seminar materials, all written by Gothard and honed over fifty years, were treated as the law by people in both of his organizations. There wasn’t room for debate, and there wasn’t room for dissention. Those who did argue were removed – from both high levels of authority and from families.