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NIC: Insight into political destruction

| November 27, 2021 1:00 AM

Many times I have heard locals criticize our public schools. Invariably, when I ask them if they have witnessed an actual class being conducted in these schools, they reply, "No, but I know what is going on."

Do they?

I am frankly astounded by what has happened at North Idaho College, a place I hold dear and where I attended many classes.

Was I indoctrinated by any special philosophy or political viewpoint while at NIC? Absolutely not. Was I "allowed" to disagree with a teacher’s viewpoint? Yes, IF I could provide evidence for my statement.

Actually, I attended three colleges: a private college, N. Idaho College, and a university. I worked hardest at N. Idaho College. I got more from N. Idaho College. But then, I had a group of excellent teachers: Mrs. Johnson for English, Tony Stewart for government, Mike Bundy for U.S. history, and Judith Sylte for world history.

When I went to the university, I was surprised that disagreeing with the professor wasn’t as accepted as it was at North Idaho College in some of my classes, with history being the exception. So where was this infamous indoctrination that detractors have described?

In learning and in teaching there are times when a variety of opinions are all valid. Take the fall of the Roman Empire. I remember in Roman history class, there were 12 reasons the empire fell and we were to pick three of the most important. There was disagreement among the class members. Did Dr. Coonrod discourage that disagreement? Did he insert his opinion into the discussion? No, he encouraged disagreement with the same caveat my North Idaho College teachers had demanded: that we back up our statement with evidence.

What the truth is, concerning North Idaho College and our local schools, is that a certain political group wants their opinions to be taught, their beliefs to be embraced, and that students come out of college in line with their political philosophy.

They seem bent on destroying any institution that doesn’t follow their extreme viewpoints down to water and sewer boards, school boards, and city councils. It’s all about power and it looks like when they get that power, they lay waste the institution itself with their ineptness.

Let’s not let North Idaho College, or for that matter, any other boards or councils be indoctrinated by these extremists. We can certainly rectify this incompetence of board members by recall or by the next election.

North Idaho College is particularly dear to this community and is also an economic boon to the local economy. We must thwart these efforts to destroy it.


Donna Harvey is a Hayden resident.