In my career as college professor, I taught American government classes in four universities and three community colleges. And just as Rickie probably suspected, I’m a liberal, pro-union, pro-gay rights, feminist, environmentalist, atheist. What he really would hate, though, is that I always tried to teach my students to think for themselves.
They had to write papers on controversial issues and discuss those issues in class. They debated, considered opposing viewpoints, heard guest speakers with differing opinions, and read pro and con articles on political topics.
Students in their late teens and early twenties are not necessarily more liberal politically, but they are more likely to question authority--any authority. Any good college course will take advantage of that tendency and encourage it.
Santorum is noted for home-schooling his children--all seven of them. I’d be willing to bet that there was less home-schooling than indoctrination. About 1.5 million kids were home-schooled in 2007, the last year the Department of Education made an estimate. According to columnist Frank Bruni, when parents were asked why, the most common reply centered around moral and spiritual reasons.
I believe that parents who home-school their children for moral reasons only want their children to hear their morality. I’m sure they teach their kids that their morals are absolute and everyone else is wrong. There’s only one side, and it is their side.
I have a feeling if Santorum had been in one of my courses, he would have dropped in the first week. He is a guy who doesn’t like to think and doesn’t like people who do.
I'm sure that Rodin would not have Ricky in mind when doing any of his artwork. I have personally seen his "Thinker". It is most interesting and it gives one much thought. Of course Ricky doesn't think much and if he does, he has lost any kind of focus in his thoughts.
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