If you want to truly appreciate America you need to live in another country. When I was in college I spent 6 months in Spain when Franco was still in power who supported Hitler and ran a dictatorial repressive government with military police on every corner with machine guns. It was safe there but people were not happy and the country suffered economically falling beyond the rest of Europe. The reason why universities encourage students to study abroad are numerous but the most important take away is brooding you mind and experiences makes you a more thoughtful person and a better citizen. I didn’t come back from Spain thinking a dictator form of government was even close to being better than our democracy and actually felt the opposite. Sending students to China is a learning opportunity and by the way China is the second largest economy in the world and a major trading partner of the US. Republicans don’t want to teach students about slavery and want it excluded from our history books because it will make white kids feel “bad” about themselves. It’s probably the worst part of our country's history and to try and sweep it under the rug as if if didn’t happen is inviting it to happen again. We should never fear students becoming enlightened through their educational experience. The only thought I had about China growing up was people were starving there so I should finish all the food on my plate. Well China has come a long way from that circumstance but government control of every part of their citizen’s life is not going to work long term nor convince our students to be supportive of communism. Due to the availability and speed of communication today our world gets smaller every day. This is not a time in which isolation is going to be affective and help us prosper. It is a time in which knowing about your enemy can only be helpful
My first visit to the USSR was in 1989 as a college student invited to join an Iowa delegation to Stavropol Krai. Iowa long had a "sister state" relationship with Stavropol. Did we encounter some Soviet propaganda during the visit? I'm sure we did. But I didn't leave there indoctrinated.
Traveling abroad is an incredible learning opportunity for high school students, and politicians should not get in the way.
I trust young Iowans' intellect, but these elected officials' support book bans and limits on social studies—their actions and words imply distrust in citizens' ability to think independently. Their isolationist stance, limiting immigration, and desire for a monocultural America contradict the benefits of diversity and global engagement. This pattern of restricting freedoms in education and culture is seen as detrimental. A vibrant democracy needs informed citizens, and these policies undermine that, fostering xenophobia and weakening international cooperation.
Your well documented article underscores the value of interactions between countries, and how Republicans of another era led the way in the times of Robert Ray and early Branstad. Sadly they have been replaced by another brand of the GOP -- one more at home with paranoia and invective.
Hear, hear. This red scare 2.0 nonsense must stop.
Thanks for providing the background for this exchange. Your subtitle is perfect: "Student trips help mutual understanding between nations."
Good headline Ed. I have Pink Floyd's "The Wall" in my head now, May be appropriate for the subject matter ("We don't need no thought control...")
Very subtle, sir. :)
Maybe I should have used that as the subhead.😀
If you want to truly appreciate America you need to live in another country. When I was in college I spent 6 months in Spain when Franco was still in power who supported Hitler and ran a dictatorial repressive government with military police on every corner with machine guns. It was safe there but people were not happy and the country suffered economically falling beyond the rest of Europe. The reason why universities encourage students to study abroad are numerous but the most important take away is brooding you mind and experiences makes you a more thoughtful person and a better citizen. I didn’t come back from Spain thinking a dictator form of government was even close to being better than our democracy and actually felt the opposite. Sending students to China is a learning opportunity and by the way China is the second largest economy in the world and a major trading partner of the US. Republicans don’t want to teach students about slavery and want it excluded from our history books because it will make white kids feel “bad” about themselves. It’s probably the worst part of our country's history and to try and sweep it under the rug as if if didn’t happen is inviting it to happen again. We should never fear students becoming enlightened through their educational experience. The only thought I had about China growing up was people were starving there so I should finish all the food on my plate. Well China has come a long way from that circumstance but government control of every part of their citizen’s life is not going to work long term nor convince our students to be supportive of communism. Due to the availability and speed of communication today our world gets smaller every day. This is not a time in which isolation is going to be affective and help us prosper. It is a time in which knowing about your enemy can only be helpful
Well said, Dan. It seems like some politicians want to stop young people from seeing and hearing things they don’t approve of.
My first visit to the USSR was in 1989 as a college student invited to join an Iowa delegation to Stavropol Krai. Iowa long had a "sister state" relationship with Stavropol. Did we encounter some Soviet propaganda during the visit? I'm sure we did. But I didn't leave there indoctrinated.
Traveling abroad is an incredible learning opportunity for high school students, and politicians should not get in the way.
I trust young Iowans' intellect, but these elected officials' support book bans and limits on social studies—their actions and words imply distrust in citizens' ability to think independently. Their isolationist stance, limiting immigration, and desire for a monocultural America contradict the benefits of diversity and global engagement. This pattern of restricting freedoms in education and culture is seen as detrimental. A vibrant democracy needs informed citizens, and these policies undermine that, fostering xenophobia and weakening international cooperation.
One more venue for "Follow the money!" It has universal application.
Your well documented article underscores the value of interactions between countries, and how Republicans of another era led the way in the times of Robert Ray and early Branstad. Sadly they have been replaced by another brand of the GOP -- one more at home with paranoia and invective.