The Idaho GOP convention kicked off Thursday with a lobbyist arguing for more Christian control over childhood education.

Idaho Family Policy Center President Blaine Conzatti made a case to a classroom full of Republicans — gathered Thursday for the Idaho Republican convention at the College of Southern Idaho — for a Christian approach to government on several social issues, and said he’d like to see public schools run by churches.

The Idaho Capitol Sun reports Conzatti says the center is against state funding for early childhood education, which is meant for children between 3 and 5 years old, because he said the idea is rooted in Marxism.

The GOP convention began Thursday morning and will conclude Saturday evening.