Teach Kids How to Think Not What to Think
Some people think it’s okay to teach children what to think. But when it comes to the classroom, a majority of Americans disagree, preferring instead to let teachers help kids learn how to think.
When children fail to learn how to think, they fail to learn how to act. Teaching them what to think also diminishes their freedom of thought and blunts their intelligence. It is brainwashing—the antithesis of an education.
Two new NPR/Ipsos polls reveal how Americans really feel about polarizing legislation that bans books, limits what topics can or cannot be discussed in the classroom, and meddles in who should be deciding what gets taught in our nation’s classrooms.
Are we really all that divided? Find out in NPR.
Slipstream
Very interesting and enlightening article. Nice to know the polarization isn't as extreme as I thought.
What's so surprising was the Washington Post found the majority of the 1,000-plus requests to remove books from schools during the 2021-'22 school year were filed by 11 people. Shows the chaos a few crazy people can cause.
Thanks for finding and posting this article.
Well Street
A promising takeaway is that despite the low pay, worsening conditions, and a segment of the public who doesn't respect them, most teachers still feel passionate about the work and want to continue doing it.
It's disturbing that many of those polled believe state lawmakers should be in charge of school curricula. Wouldn't this be like putting a plumber in charge of devising military attack strategies?
Thank you for sharing.
Slipstream
Yes, it would. It puts politics directly in the classroom.
Sanatana
Very enlightening! Thank you for sharing!