Lawrence Journal-World opinion section

To the editor:

There is much discussion in the media, schools and universities regarding banning flags, symbols and creating safe places, etc. because some are offended, claims of racism, fear of what they represent or for political correctness. By banning, what are we teaching our children? Isn’t one of the purposes of education to prepare our children to succeed in the real world professionally and in society? By banning, they are denied learning, which teaches dealing with disagreeable ideas or actions.

The First Amendment doesn’t guarantee to be heard nor protects against offense. Democracy is messy!

When our children walk off the schoolyard and our campuses, there are no “safe places” or bans on symbols. How well have we prepared them to deal with the real world?

By banning and creating safe places we are actually empowering the offensive actor thru media, school board hearings and university panels. Ironically, those actions do not make the problem go away; they actually magnify them and reinforce both student and education administrations’ weaknesses.

These actions demonstrate the offenders have power over both the individual claiming offense and the education administrations that react defensively. It is time to take the power back!

The objective of education is teaching critical thinking, not tolerate intolerance, debate issues and justify positions. Banning denies teaching, obliterates history and its truth. Real education teaches the unsavory and positive truths in history and that you can’t judge history by today’s morality.

Our choice: Immature mind and character or maturity of thought, inner strength, self-assurance, and equanimity!