Editor:
Former President Donald Trump promises that if reelected, he will deny funding to schools that teach critical race theory, or any other “inappropriate” racial, sexual or political content. He blames low student scores in math and reading on “woke” teachers, not on the pandemic or school shutdowns. He has called for certifying more “patriotic” educators.
Does Trump really want children to grow up with a better grasp of math when he can persuade voters that inflation is an existential threat to their personal security, even when wage growth is comfortably outstripping inflation?
Does Trump want students to become better critical thinkers when he can use photos of migrants massed at the border to convince voters that immigrants are a threat to national security, even though most immigrants provide needed labor in a rapidly growing economy?
Does Trump want students to become avid readers who can use logic and analysis to evaluate an argument when politicians can easily use social media platforms, with no evidence, to persuade voters that the 2020 election was rigged?
Trump also announced, “I will not give one penny to any school that has a mask or vaccine mandate.” Hello, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, pertussis, measles, mumps and more. Why would Trump want America’s children to be well-educated when the voters with the most education consistently vote Democratic?
Richard A. Weiherer
Wyomissing