Letter: Return education to its roots

Thursday, Aug. 24, 2000 | 9:31 a.m.

None of the colleges even require American history to graduate. This is the educational system into which the federal government pumps many billions of your tax dollars each year.

Wasting cash is bad, but subverting young minds, which is also going on in our public schools, is far worse.

When looking at our educational institutions, we need to be aware that Castro's "school" quickly resumed indoctrinating Elian. When Vietnam fell, independent thinkers were sent to re-education camps. In addition to the erasure of American culture, America's youth are today targeted by similar radical federal Pavlovian programs as those in Cuba and Vietnam. Control of education is key for totalitarians.

Our freedoms cannot survive a dumbed-downed, radicalized citizenry. A first step in restoring quality education is to boot out the federal bureaucrats. Your congressman must oppose any bill that permits federal meddling in our schools.

America can again become a land of informed, moral people by returning education to its free-market roots. "Free education for all children in public schools" -- a quote from the U.S. Constitution? No. It's the 10th plank of the Communist Manifesto!

FRANK M. PELTESON