It's no secret that most college campuses in America have been havens of liberal thought for decades. But what was once political bias in the classroom has become an entire education. Universities are now offering entire degree programs in left-wing political causes disguised as intellectual pursuits, like Women's Studies, Black Studies, Gender Equity Studies, and Social Justice Studies. Call it the college of arts, sciences and the woke.
This indoctrination isn't just happening in liberal enclaves like California and the Ivy League, but here in Texas. Recently, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick caused a dust-up when he called out Texas professors pushing woke ideology like Critical Race Theory. Greg Sindelar, CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, agrees that schools are going too far. "These institutions are not really actually interested in free expression and in kids learning," he tells KTRH. "They're more interested in indoctrination, and pushing forward with a certain ideology."
While the move toward left-wing studies may have helped schools virtue signal and recruit more liberal activists, it doesn't appear to be helping the morale of the general student population. A recent poll showed a third of college students are considering leaving school. Sindelar predicts these left-wing degree programs will lead to more aggrieved students down the road. "We're trapping people into programs that don't have any economic value," he says. "So they're going to get out of school, and they're not only going to have a large load of debt, but they're not going to have any job prospects."
Ultimately, for parents and students who don't want to cede all of higher education to the left, there are options for pushing back. "The number one thing these institutions really respond to is the dollar," says Sindelar. "When parents are either not sending their kids or withholding their donations, that really gets the attention of the administrators."
Beyond that, Sindelar is also calling for parents and lawmakers to demand accountability and transparency in higher education curriculum, much like parents of K-12 students have started doing recently. "I think this is an opportunity for us, as conservatives, to really get these institutions back to where they should be," he says. "Which is training and educating kids for the future of our state."
Photo: Dorwart, Mike (uploader)