Kerby Anderson

Pete Hegseth is the co-author with David Goodwin of the book, Battle for the American Mind. A central part of their book is an in-depth discussion and history of progressive education in America.

Pete Hegseth is the co-host of Fox & Friends and is the host of the Fox Nation documentaries. He will be speaking at the Point of View banquet this fall. That is appropriate since this book parallels many of the insights found in the book Public Education Against America written by Marlin Maddoux, founder of the Point of View radio talk show.

The book begins with the title, “The 16,000-Hour War.” After students spend 16,000 hours of K-12 indoctrination, they come out of the government schools hating America. They roll their eyes at religion and have little interest in history. The book documents the elitist roots of progressivism and its deliberate influence in education today. One chapter describes the “straight line from critical theory to antifa.”

As we have documented in previous commentaries, we spend more money on education than most other countries and yet have very little to show for it. Some of our nation’s students can barely read and write. They certainly have few skills in critical thinking. Few can reason with any discernment.

David Goodwin provides one solution: classical Christian education. We need to recover a lost philosophy of education. He explains that reason and virtue are the two towers of freedom. Wonder and beauty help students to learn to love the right things.

The educational establishment today is controlling the “supply lines” of future citizens. If we want to make a difference in this country, we need to understand there is a battle for the American mind.