The Declaration of Independence tells us that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. Education makes consent possible. Democracy rests on the foundation of education. Our founding fathers knew that the greatest threat to democracy was an uninformed and poorly educated citizenry.

Education should do more than teach the next generation reading, writing, and arithmetic. It should challenge the ideas they learn at home and in their spiritual communities. It should give students the tools they need to think for themselves, so that they can rise to the greater challenge of participating in our democracy.

Unfortunately, education in Nebraska is under attack by conspiracy theorists who believe there is an agenda of indoctrination in our public schools.

If freedom of thought, the ability to form ideas and think for oneself is indoctrination, then we’re here for it.