This blog series comes in the context of a perfect storm, that is, the juxtaposition of two major phenomena coinciding in our world.

The first phenomenon is the untimely arrival—it would be untimely at any moment of history—of the Coronavirus which, in a few months, has affected 213 countries, infecting over 30M people and bringing at least 1M deaths. At this writing, the world has no idea how long the disease will last, or how many lives will be taken.

The second element of this perfect storm is the economic impact of the pandemic, exacerbated by the way nations have responded in closing down their societies. In addition to the loss of life, the virus and the world response has been to shut down whole societies causing severe  economic impact with more havoc and destruction.

Official responses

Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel famously said, “You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that it’s an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.”

Cultural Marxists, through the radical Black Lives Matter and Antifi organizations, have taken advantage of this perfect storm by creating more chaos and violence by looting business, burning down neighborhoods, and killing policemen with the goal of replacing the rule of law and freedom with socialism and tyranny.

In response to this perfect storm, governments around the world have shuttered public gatherings, including schools from preschool through university.

Citizens of multiple nations are divided about when schools should be reopened. One argument says schools should be reopened so kids can get back in class and parents back to work. The other side maintains schools must remain closed to keep the virus from spreading.

Parents and some educators are looking for educational options: online learning, traditional schools reopening, or a hybrid: school plus online learning. Home schooling is becoming an increasingly viable option as have private, parochial, and charter schools.

A bigger concern

But I have heard little about a related issue, one more fundamental than opening or closing schools. Few are talking about the content of the teaching and its impact on our children and nations. What is being taught in our public schools and institutions of higher learning? Are our children learning the truths that made this nation the most free and just society the world has ever known? Or is it, rather, Critical Theory or Cultural Marxism, ideologies that are sowing confusion, producing radicals bent on destroying our societies.

Ironically, many of the same people on the political right who are decrying curriculum and educational policies rooted in Critical Theory or cultural Marxism are calling for schools to reopen without addressing what will be taught once the classes are again in session.

At the same time, many people on the left argue that, for the health of the children and teachers, schools should remain closed until the pandemic has passed or a vaccine is universally available. In effect, they ignore the negative psychological and social effects of isolation.

A more fundamental question needs to be asked: What are our children and young adults being taught and what will this curriculum produce in their values, behavior and lives?

This perfect storm does have a silver lining: it is affording parents and civic leaders an opportunity to examine the indoctrination our students are receiving and consider whether we need to reform our educational system.

• Darrow Miller

… to be continued

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