Why Teaching Critical Thinking Is a Farce

Thinking Critically About “Critical Thinking”

There are more than 16,000 school districts in the United States and nearly all of them boast that they develop ‘critical thinking.’ Click on any of their mission statements and you will find affirmations such as this from the Lordstown Ohio School District: “We believe in the development of critical thinking skills.” But what would happen if critical thinking actually were effectively taught? 

Suppose the youngsters begin skillfully scrutinizing things that really matter, such as common customs, moral principles, and beliefs. Imagine they critically examine the values that direct our lives and define the good, the true, the beautiful? They would certainly be thinking critically. But would educators who encouraged this receive hearty congratulations, or have to flee a rampaging mob of angry, torch-wielding villagers?

Critical thinking is not mere logic chopping. "ZZThese are the premises” and “this is a conclusion,” sort of thing. That kind of ‘critical thinking’ is largely harmless. Real critical thinking involves systematically considering those deep assumptions that the vast majority of people take utterly for granted. And real critical thought would also carefully consider basic written authorities, such as the Bible, the Torah and the Constitution. And it would question the bona fides of the authorities charged with interpreting them. 

Priests, preachers rabbis, and judges for instance. They would have to consider are they biased? Are they accurately informed? Are they corrupt? Are they half nuts?  Such considerations really matter because such authorities interpret these written authorities for the rest of us.

Some argue it isn't necessary to tackle sensitive issues head on. They say that by teaching and making youngsters more knowledgeable, they will, sooner or later, bring these tools to bear on the deep assumptions and basic authorities that govern their lives. No they won't. Not usually. Too many things, such as the psychological and emotional turmoil critical thought promotes, blocks this transfer of learning. If you want students to really think critically, you must provide them with direct and well focused, vitally important opportunities to do so. 

Of course, if educators were to do this, they had better be prepared to find another job. And we're assuming  teachers are actually capable of critical thought, much less communicating it to students. Most probably aren't.

And there are real problems when it comes to parents. How tolerant are they going to be when their kids come home asking unsettling questions? Consider what it takes to qualify for parenthood. Getting pregnant, or making some female pregnant, and a resultant birth. With such minimal qualifications it's quite obvious that there must be plenty of parents who are dumb as rocks. And a half-baked complaint from a  group of aroused parents of obviously limited intellect can result in  a book banning or a teacher firing. All it takes is a spineless superintendent and/or some frothing at the mouth fanatics on the school board.

Keep in mind, most politicians will say or do nearly anything to get elected. And that ultimately results in some ridiculous school-related legislation. In some states, for instance, classroom consideration of a topic that could theoretically  distress a student, possibly make them feel guilty for, say, being white, is now legally verboten. And this style of thought-policing is popular with right wing elements of the broad masses and politicians who push it often benefit at the polls. Of course the  left-wing "woke" crowd has their own list of topics that must not be critically considered.

Let's face it, in a society as diverse as ours it's nearly impossible to critically consider a wide range of topics. Plus it's impossible to think critically about anything that matters without it being potentially upsetting. Serious thought is, by its very nature, unsettling. That's the price we must pay for actually growing up. But far too many Americans have never paid that price. And, in consequence, they vehemently discourage teaching anything resembling real critical thinking. So, while most school districts boast that they do teach critical thinking, the relative absence of school-related turmoil testifies otherwise.

-- GKC
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See also, "Reason and Authority in Education"