Roper: Indoctrinating young kids into the liberal mindset, and holiday gift ideas for stopping it

By Rob Roper

The Wall Street Journal recently ran a piece titled, “Reading From Left to Left at Barnes & Noble: A notably one-sided selection of ‘Inspiring Books to Empower Young Readers.” The author describes a Barnes & Noble display pushing books targeted toward kids which included titles such as, “You are Mighty: A Guide to Changing the World,” — a how-to manual on being an activist with a young vegan as the protagonist.

There were three memoirs by illegal aliens, two novels whose protagonists were refugees, Sonia Sotomayor’s “Turning Pages: My Life Story,” and “We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices,” an anthology that includes a fictional story of a child who is arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at school as he endures taunts from white classmates wearing “Make America Great Again” hats.

Notably absent were any books with conservative or free-market themes. This is a problem and a challenge for parents. The left certainly knows the science behind marketing, and knows that constant exposure to things makes them familiar, and when something becomes familiar it becomes popular. (“Tell a lie often enough and it becomes the truth,” is true.) And, the left use their dominance of education and entertainment to bombard kids with a constant stream of liberal ideology in movies, television, books, etc.

There are some options for parents. If you are looking for Christmas presents for kids, grandkids or kids of friends, consider giving The Tuttle Twins series by Connor Boyack. Boyack is the president of the Libertas Institute, a free-market think tank based in Utah, and a father of two young children. The Tuttle Twins, written for kids 5-11 years old, cover topics such as the dangers of socialism, to how the legal system works, entrepreneurialism, individual rights, and the importance of free markets.

If you’re looking for books that teach children about American history, check out Jean Fritz’ collection, which caters to audiences of very young kids to young adults. Fritz shares biographies of key figures in American history, inspiring stories from our nation’s founding, including the crafting of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.

Our kids are under assault, and families are the first, and increasingly last, line of defense. I hope the parents and grandparents will use these tools and others like them to provide our kids with some balance in the things they are learning outside the home. Use this opportunity to put some freedom under the tree and in the stockings this Christmas.

Rob Roper is president of the Ethan Allen Institute. Reprinted with permission from the Ethan Allen Institute Blog.

3 thoughts on “Roper: Indoctrinating young kids into the liberal mindset, and holiday gift ideas for stopping it

  1. Well it’s 12/24. Wishing all the great commentators MERRY CHRISTMAS and the BEST of this coming NEW YEAR and more to come. Most are very very educational and enlightening and shows great experience and knowledge. There are some not so deserving. If there’s more involvement maybe VT will return to it’s “old self”.

    I spend winters in Alabama, but stay in touch. Was born educated in VT, served in the Air Force on B-52’s & KC-135 refuelers during the Cold War with Russia in the late 60’s. So sorry to see the flatlanders ruin the state and I protected them. Found that AL is one hell of a nice conservative state and may see VT in my rear view mirror. Seen a devastating political change. But I return to VT on my property when mud season, black flys, ticks, arrives.

    All the best to you all. This is a great web site.

  2. Nothing new here. The caution is legitimate but not mutually exclusive to ‘the left’.

    Consider what Vladimir Lenin said:
    “Give me four years to teach the children and the seed I have sown will never be uprooted.”

    For those who’ve been indoctrinated by our school system and don’t know, Lenin was the communist revolutionary who rose to prominence during the Russian Revolution of 1917, leading to one of the world’s most totalitarian regimes.

    But again, ‘indoctrinating young kids’ is not the exclusive purview of the political left.

    As Friedrich Nietzsch said:
    “Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster.”

    The point missed in this missive is that we should not be forced to deal with political tyranny from any political persuasion in our education system.

    “If you’re looking for books that teach children about American history…”, do everything you can to promote Education Choice, so parents can choose the education program that best meets their children’s needs independent of any political affiliations and coercions.

  3. Good insight. Parents should consider the 99 novels by George A. Henty (published 1880-1900), in which the protagonist is usually a plucky 15 year old boy called upon to face adult challenges.. Also the hundred novels of Robert Ballantyne of the same era (Scottish) . The Little House on the Prairie series is good for younger children (its publication managed by a one-time libertarian Vermonter – Roger McBride, Halifax – who ran for Governor in 1964.) My wife recommends Black Beauty and Heidi for girls. My own favorite is Jane Porter’s Scottish Chiefs, which my Grandma read for me when I was laid up with scarlet fever at age 10. “Now tremble, Tyranny, I come to hurl thee down!”

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