Since I'm mentioned in the beginning of this topic as though this type of article quoted were something I'd blindly accept as true, I suppose I should respond.
Sometimes teachers provide simplifications of complex subjects to students, such as the octet rule in chemistry. In an hyper-literal sense only, this is "lying". However, exceptions are usually taught along with the rule, such as boron which has three valence electrons and seeks six rather than eight to fill its valence, and it is often presented as a tool with known limitations rather than an absolute rule to apply to all elements.
However, there's also the idea of "The past is the key to the present" which has been instituted by such people as Stalin and Kim Jong Il. Such that if you teach a coordinated curriculum, especially involving the "reinterpretation of history", that it will more easily achieve goals of loyalty and otherwise brainwashing in general to support the causes for which "the ends justify the means". In America there are many states which have lots of freedom of education and a few which strictly permit only government schools. Unlike in the countries ruled by dictators though, there is no execution squad for teachers that don't agree. Indeed teachers and professors can think whatever they like, privately, but if thoughts in opposition to the current politically correct thoughts are ever expressed such teachers are then potentially in search of employment.
16 Jul 2010, 7:36 pm
