Who is indoctrinating who?

On last Wednesday's editorial page Cal Thomas called for the burial of the public school system. His main argument was that the system was indoctrinating students with left-wing ideas and harmful social ideology. By definition, indoctrination is teaching a group, in this case students, to accept a set of beliefs uncritically. In other words, teachers are brainwashing students. According to Thomas, these students would be better served by private schools and home schooling.

If Thomas is correct, why is Iowa becoming a more conservative state? Why does Iowa have a Republican governor? Why do Republicans dominate the Iowa General Assembly and the Iowa Supreme Court? Why do student polls prior to elections almost always vote for the Republican candidate? Who is indoctrinating who?

Darryl Syverson

Strawberry Point