Critical Thinking In Utah

Utah Valley State College has invited film maker Michael Moore to speak to its student body. This is so controversial that a panel discussion about Moore's appearance was packed. One item from the Salt Lake Tribune's account of the meeting astounded us:

"Kay Anderson, father of a UVSC student who lives next to Sederburg, called his appearance an insult to the community. 'I should not have to send my children to a private university to get a conservative education when I live in a conservative community and have a state college in my back yard that is paid for by conservative taxpayers and donors,' he said. 'A balanced education does not require we teach our children to be so open-minded that their brains fall out.'

Anderson held up a cashier's check for $25,000 to help restoke student-body coffers if student President Jim Bassi and Vice President Joe Vogel rescind the Moore invitation.

But Anderson's offer drew hisses and boos from the capacity crowd. Even a petition to recall the two student leaders reportedly has stalled."
excerpt: Salt Lake Tribune: http://www.sltrib.com/ci_2418051

Two things are astonishing, one of them gravely disturbing. First, the expectation that a public university, subject to state and federal guidelines, will provide the same philisophical approach to education as a private college or university.

Second, and this is the disturbing part, the idea that being open-minded is a bad thing. We at The Thinking Woman were taught that anything worthwhile will hold up to challenge and scrutiny. We were sent to college with the hopes of our developing that skill. Certainly this applies to religious faith and should apply to all areas of life. Like it or not, all adults ultimately form their own set of values. What we learn from our parents will not leave us.

But try to insulate, to discriminate, to isolate, can backfire so that children will reject the very core values their parents hold sacred.

It's not the children's brains but their values we're worried about.