we don't need no thought control At the end of a long article on students' use of the internet as a research tool, the WaPo drops this:

"For decades we've been doing topical research," [Jamie McKenzie, a former school superintendent and library director who now publishes an e-zine on educational technology] complains. "Schools say, 'Go find out all about Molly Pitcher.' That's an invitation to scoop it up, to write stuff they already know. We should be encouraging kids to research the difficult truth. Let's tell them a woman has been diagnosed with breast cancer and has five doctors recommending different treatments. What would they do?" But do school systems really want students using the same tools to question current proprieties and conventional wisdom? Teach kids to be critical thinkers and they'll be sending it right back at the teacher in the classroom. There is much to worry about.

I've long believed that our schools should offer a class called "Critical Thinking." But I've got to admit, I never considered the "worrisome" possibility that kids might start to think critically about their school lessons, social norms, and conventional wisdom. Next thing you know, they'll be disrespecting their elders. And from there, it's not too great a step to human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together, and eventually mass hysteria!