Albert Einstein once said, “Few are those that see with their own eyes and feel with their own hearts.”
His words are about the rarity of independent thought, but in a society of students who take every word of a teacher as truth, the growth from independent thinking is even more
limited.
Last week, a teacher at a
public school in Washington handed her sixth-graders a Venn diagram. The overlapping circles that are used to compare and contrast things. In this case, the students were to find the differences and similarities of
Adolf Hitler and former President George W. Bush.
This is not an “apples to
apples” comparison— it’s a ballpoint pen to a kumquat. 
It’s also a false analogy or comparison. The two are
not related subjects that can be respectively compared. 
Although, this fallacy is committed in a lot of classrooms.
Since entering college, I’ve seen the same bias come from LSU professors. I am
certain that in many high schools, students experience it too. 
Shoveling of personal political and cultural belief down the throats of students is not
education.
An education should consist of professors giving students the facts on a particular subject — so their pupils may utilize that
information, expand upon it and generate their own thoughts or opinions toward the
subject.
Inserting personal bias into the curriculum — this includes cheeky comments about politicians — is inappropriate and counters the actual purpose of education.
Merriam-Webster’s definition of the word “education” provides insight on just what a learned individual should be able to do. The dictionary defines the word as “the knowledge and development resulting from an educational process.”
To be educated is to grow intellectually. A crucial factor in being informed is the ability to apply concepts and personal insights to support one’s ideas. Independent thought is a vital factor in being an intellectual. If you’re attending a university, you carry the noble title and,
often, the burden of being an
intellectual.
The world’s greatest contributions came from independent thinkers. They didn’t simply
regurgitate what they were taught. They questioned it, explored it and, sometimes, rewrote what was once believed to be factual.
However, constantly questioning and having open inquiry in the education system can be faulty too. The Association of American Colleges & Universities published an article on bias in undergraduate education
explaining the importance and possible trouble with open
inquiry. 
According to the AAC&U, “It is important to protect the
academic freedom of students who wish to challenge the prevailing views.”
However, AAC&U notes it’s important to recognize the challenge of higher education is not merely to encourage open inquiry. The challenge for education is to build character that is open and flexible, intellectually and deliberatively, but decisive and committed when it is time to act.
A possible solution is that educators promote the value of open-minded inquiry by requiring students to take different sides on an issue to bring an amount of sympathy to a position that the student doesn’t
usually hold. Knowing both sides being argued is key to properly defending your own belief and developing independent
thought.
Students should know when and what subjects to be inquisitive of. The Socratic method isn’t always the best route. Socrates was a mighty questioner of
political and religious thought in ancient Greece, but his constant questioning earned him a death sentence.
You might not face death, but you can kill your own intellectual integrity and come off as
annoying.
Students should not fear
confronting their professors and questioning what they are
being taught, if it is a matter that
deserves a response.
Ancient Greece is full of examples, Aristotle was one of Plato’s most impressive and prized students, but Aristotle disagreed with a large portion of Plato’s teachings.
Teachers that don’t show their students how to think and only tell them what to think should raise questions regarding the educator’s integrity and ability to perform such an important job. Students should still approach educators with scholarly respect. There is always something to be learned from someone
else.  
Again, the best thinkers did not settle with all generic textbook information or blindly
assume truth in their teacher’s words. They were careful to not make a fool of themselves
either. They examined, analyzed and scrutinized certain issues with adequate support just as we should do as young
scholars.
Justin Stafford is a 21-year-old mass communication senior from Walker, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @j_w_stafford.