EDITORIAL

Indoctrination or Education?

Posted

The Providence Journal often prints many different types of letters to the editor, which at times are very interesting and well thought out, while at other times seem to take a one-sided stance on issues. There have been many letters printed from students from North Kingstown High School that frequently criticize the current U.S. administration and the people that voted for them. A young girl recently wrote a letter critical of supporters of President Trump supporters whom she wrote are sweeping his past sexual misdeeds under the rug. She also implied that his supporters’ values are just as corrupt as his, in her own opinion.

Perhaps this young girl did not learn about history prior to 9/11, when the nation’s leader was President Bill Clinton who had supposedly committed sexual misdeeds prior to and while in office. Does that mean that his democratic supporters have the same corrupt values as the former president? Of course not, but what seems to be happening in high schools across the land is that children are being indoctrinated by their school teachers and/or parents with a political ideology rather than being taught a rational methodology on how to think things through.

Colleges and universities today no longer commit to having fruitful and civil dialogue with groups of differing viewpoints, but rather enforce one viewpoint at the expense of others. There is too much emphasis placed on the sentimental and emotional state of the students which leads to special interest groups and a biased preference for those who are ‘micro-aggressed.’ The purpose of education is to inform students to be able to freely think and rationally use those thoughts in order to improve on themselves and benefit the society in which we live. This can’t be done if students are harassed, insulted and berated for standing up for what they believe is true.