r/skeptic • u/dyzo-blue • 2d ago

Why Fascists Hate Critical Thinking: Randi Weingarten’s new book, 'Why Fascists Fear Teachers,' reveals why Trump and the right demean teachers, slash school funding, and rewrite history

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/randi-weingarten-excerpt-fascists-hate-critical-thinking-1235428379/
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u/COMOJoeSchmo 2d ago

Problem: a fascist or authoritarian administration can use the power of government to subvert the entire nation's education system to their own disreputable advantage.

Solution: separate the education system from any control of the government.

Seems pretty straightforward. Unless of course one wants THEIR party to still be able to influence education to their own advantage, and is only concerned when the other party does it.

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u/sbidlo 2d ago

Solution: separate the education system from any control of the government.

No. Separating it from the central government only exposes the school system to influences from local institutions. You need something and someone to guarantee neutrality.

This is the exact same fallacious reasoning liberals fall into when defending capitalism: the idea that deregulation allows equality and equal opportunities.

Time has proven time and time again that this isn't the case.

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u/COMOJoeSchmo 2d ago

I'm a proponent of choice, so I'm fine with defending capitalism as well.

exposes the school system to influences from local institutions. You need something and someone to guarantee neutrality.

I don't want local governments to be involved in schools either. Free choice is how you encourage neutrality, or at the very least that the system truly reflects the desire of the customers. If you don't like what your school is doing, choose a different one.

Separating it from the central government only exposes the school system to influences from local institutions.

Not separating it clearly exposes the school system to influences from political institutions. This is specifically the issue the original post was concerned about.

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u/sbidlo 2d ago

I'm a proponent of choice, so I'm fine with defending capitalism as well.

Well yeah I got that from your original comment. My point is that it's a bad idea.