What is the purpose of school? Is it to impart knowledge, seek objective truth, teach students how to think…?
More and more, we are seeing students:
Fed a steady diet of negativity, division, and ideological homogeneity intended to dismantle the Western Canon.
Pushed to become conformist social justice activists coerced to show fealty to only three causes: race, gender, and climate, with no space for questioning.
Forced to self-censor, stifling any debate or scrutiny of one worldview.
Denied an outlet to question things that defy logic and common sense.
What happens when schools are no longer a place for “critical thinking?”
Just over two years ago, Scott Johnston described that “Andover, possibly the most prominent secondary school in the country, is fully onboard the woke/CRT/anti-racism train. Their board backs the move entirely, as does the administration and presumably the teachers. Many of the kids do, too, but they’re kids and they are only behaving the way Andover says they should.” (The Naked Dollar, Et Tu Andover?).
A recent incident at Andover provides a cautionary example of what happens when people feel they have little recourse against “indoctrination.”
“A disturbing case of vandalism was discovered … across campus. In addition to defacing the exterior of several campus buildings and monuments with graffiti, the content includes profanity and statements referencing indoctrination, school systems, and government.”
You can read all about it in the school newspaper, The Phillipian, Campus Buildings Vandalized, Criminal Investigation Ensues.
Andover is not alone! Check out the article below, which chronicles this trend in K-12 schools throughout the country.
The Indoctrination of the American Mind
By Eric Kaufmann, The Free Press
What Can Be Done?
How can students discover their identity and purpose without being forced to conform to the racialized and sexualized school curricula? How can we help students who want to learn to be independent thinkers? Is there space for students to question groupthink and the incessant focus on “social justice?” Yes!
Discourse Clubs
Here is an opportunity to help create “brave spaces” for respectful conversations in schools — student-led discourse clubs. FIRE’s curriculum provides students with a guide to explore free speech. A comprehensive lesson plan can serve as a framework to be tailored to your school community.
First Amendment Educational Resources for K-12 Teachers
FIRE’s K-12 free speech curriculum modules help educators enrich and supplement their existing instruction on First Amendment and freedom of expression issues in K-12 classrooms.
Please Read
Now more than ever, students need to learn how to speak the truth openly and respectfully in order to grow into positively engaged and constructive citizens.
by Sian Beilock and Phil Hanlon, The Boston Globe
by Bret Stephens, The New York Times