The concept of indoctrination is the putting forth of a particular view whilst excluding, obscuring or ignoring others.
“IndoctriNation” is a documentary (purchase here) by Gunn Productions; Joaquin Fernandez and the Gunn Brothers. Scottish filmmaker Colin Gunn is a home schooling father of seven who embarked upon a journey to explore, understand and explain that of which public schools are made.
The documentary is subtitled, “Public schools and the decline of Christianity in America” and it presents, at the outset, the two basic views which Americans (et al.) face: pulling kids out of public schools (or not placing them there in the first place) or leaving (or placing) them in so that they may be what the Bible calls salt and light.
But why even think that such a choice must be made? After all, most of us consider the education of our very own children to be someone else’s business; not my job. We pay taxes and the government puts together the best and brightest to be our teachers, principles and administrators of all sorts. Focusing on the USA; it is supposed to be a majority Christian country which was premised upon Christian principals. When you consider our national heroes, icons, stars and celebrities: do you discern an emphasis on Christianity (Christian ethics, Christian worldviews and theology, for example?)? When you consider our entertainment such as best selling books, movies, comic books, children’s cartoons: do you discern an emphasis on Christianity? When you look around our nation’s capital and many of our cities’ government buildings: do you discern an emphasis on Christianity or do you see pagan gods and goddesses? We could go on and on and on.
Point being: when you look at our public schools: do you discern an emphasis on Christianity?
The answer is clearly “No.” Now, from here some would say, “No, and that is why I am against public schools” and other would say, “No, and that is the way it should be as per separation of church and state.”
Fact: public schools are premised upon something and that something is a worldview. If we categorize Christianity as a worldview, if we categorize the “church” (as in church and state) as a worldview, if we categorize all religions, philosophies, concepts, etc. as worldviews (which they all are) we note that the Christian worldview is certainly not the premise upon which our public schools are based and note that some other worldview is. So, why exclude one worldview but allow another.
This has largely been food for thought now; let us consider what the documentary is all about. Well, Colin Gunn bought a good old fashioned schools bus and traveled across the USA interviewing various personages from historians to public school teachers about the premise upon our system of education is based.
The results are interesting, frustrating, eye opening, frightening, elucidating, fascinating and all around the stuff of which serious musing is made.
We had occasion to preview this documentary with some homeschool parents and we will review some of their comments below. But first, always remember that everyone has a worldview and that all we do is premised upon it. After all, our worldview is well; just that, our view of the world and so all we see and do is premised upon it.
One home parent noted that when they pulled their child out of public schools they succeeded in removing them from influences (educational, or indoctrinational, system and from teachers’ and childrens’ influences). Yet, they realize that they had brought with them home with them the system that is, the manner in which the public schools function.
Example, another homeschool parent noted that when their third grader began to learn cursive their first grader asked to learn as well. The parent told the younger child no. Why not? Because she was only in first grade and not yet in third grade. Yet, the parent reconsidered and though why tell her no if she wants to try? Why not indeed because someone at some point decided, of you and your kids, that all children everywhere were not ready to learn cursive until a certain age? Thus, the parent allowed the child to try and she was very good at it right away.
Do you see the point? In public schools children are divided into age groups and all move along the educational system according to age (with few exceptional exceptions). Nine year old fourth graders are taught along with other nine year old fourth graders. Eighteen year old twelfth graders are taught along with other eighteen year old twelfth graders. Now, if you think that this not only makes perfect sense but are asking, “Well, yeah, how else could it possibly be done” then it is time to say, “Welcome to the recognition that you have been indoctrinated.”
The fact that we cannot even imagine another way of doing things is proof clear that our minds have been locked into one single view, one worldview.
One homeschool parent (who is actually a professional teacher who used to teach in public schools before staying home to school her own children) noted another way that the two systems are so very different. She noted that in public schools spelling tests were to be prepared for by giving the children lists of words to memorize. If they could memorize the words then they could pass the spelling test.
In homeschooling she teaches the children the structure of language, the rules of grammar, the different way that letters sound according to where they appear in a word, etc. The result is that a child can then know how to spell a word that they have never even seen before.
There is a difference between education and schooling. Public schools do not teach how to think but rather what to think.
Lastly, note that one parent, who had recently pulled her children from public school, actually wept very openly upon viewing this documentary. The impact is that powerful: not just the impact of a cleverly edited documentary which is itself, openly, based upon a worldview but the spiritual and emotional impact of realizing from what she and her husband had been wise enough to remove her children.
Here are some of the comments from these parents.
Mary:
This film was incredible on many different levels! First it was visually and intellectually top drawer!
The information was great and I think multiple viewing provides greater insight on why government run schools are failing incrementally as well as generationally. On the emotional level I cried both times that I watched it. It also reaffirmed my belief that home schooling is the only way to educate children!
Thank you for making this film! I wish every church would show it to their flock!!
Rachel:
I just wanted to send you a quick review of what I thought of the film Indoctrination. I thought it was fantastic!
It really solidified our choice to homeschool our children. I found it to be extremely moving and convicting!
I loved it!
Yvonne:
I just wanted to let you know that I really enjoyed the movie. It was very disturbing, educational and informative.
I really like learning how it has changed from a Christian organization to a pagan one. Also seeing the impact on the Christian teachers not being able to be who they are and obey the command to proclaim the word of God and keep silent was something I really never had thought of.
When we left, [one of my daughters] and I talked about how difficult and impossible it would be to be a Christian teacher in a public school. I know there had been times when the girls thought they might want to be teachers, but we never thought of the conflict they would have as Christians.
Enlightening! We agreed that it would be impossible to do and not have a guilty conscience.
Bernadette:
I have to say that I used to be of the mindset that children can be salt and light in the school system and that somehow they can redeem those schools, and this belief was even present while I homeschooled my own children.
However, after watching this movie I am convinced more than ever that it is the parent’s responsibility to train and educate our children. The school system is not neutral ground and to expect our children to combat the flood of secularism and anti biblical values that invade our schools is unfair to them.
I am an adult and struggle with the onslaught of the evil and corruption in this world, yet to expect a child to do it and stand firm is quite unfair. Yes, I believe they are exceptions to this, but that is the exception not the rule.
Thank you for opening up my eyes. And we in the church, especially those of us who are mothers and homeschool need to let others know of this movie. We need to speak out because I am convinced that people in the church simply do not know what is going on in the schools.
Bottom line is: purchase this documentary, have some friends (on either side of the issue) over to watch it and see what happens…because much will happen!
Let us conclude with a quote from the documentary:
Is there an idea, more radical, in the history of the human race than turning your children over to total strangers who you know nothing about, and having those strangers work on your child’s mind, out of your sight, for a period of twelve years?
—John Taylor Gatto
You can purchase IndoctriNation here.
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