Mr. Dancona, the words education and indoctrination are not interchangeable. Education is a fact-based presentation of history and ideas. Indoctrination is an opinion-based presentation of history and ideas.

I oppose indoctrination as strongly as I support education. IMHO, your reply is a good example of the reasons I oppose indoctrination. For example, you write “History is a subjective enterprise and will include our modern interpretation of our origin story.” Tell me, Mr. Dancona, who is the “our”? Tell me, who decides whose opinions should be taught? For that matter who decides, who gets to decide?

You go on to say that you are in the process of assimilating into another culture. However, it sounds like you are making such American assumptions, you are projecting your own values and norms onto a culture you know very little about. For example, what makes you think your new culture values assimilation or interprets it the same way you do? Is it written down somewhere? Are immigrants tested? Who designs and administers those tests? Are there consequences if you fail those tests?

Right now, you and I are offering a good example of Penguin’s point of view. You are arguing for indoctrination– and I am arguing against it. While assimilation in America depends on indoctrination, assimilation can also be accomplished through education.

In Nazi Germany, indoctrination replaced education. However, education was common among the tiny minority of Germans who opposed the Nazi regime (writers, scientists, architects, philosophers, physicians, scholars, designers, etc.)

Again I ask you, what makes you think your new country values indoctrination – or assimilation?