Usually, I agree with you on the various subjects which you write about. All the same, on this one, I'm not so sure. So, let me begin at the beginning...
It's hard for me to see your point.
Just the same, I'll approach the subject from over here and see if we can arrive anywhere close to agreement over there.
Midway through the last century, if I can remember correctly, Elementary School was Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic, and dabbling in the basics of History and Science. There was Art, Gym, Recess ,and Lunch. Still, it all was kept simple and simply rote and routine. There was no real need for Critical Thinking at that age, and it was more geared to establishing that learning was both fun and desirable.
Junior High was more of the same, basically, but it was broader and deeper in scope and added courses correlated to accommodate exposing individuals to careers - like Shop Class.
High School rounded out the process with a more stringent division of students, channeling them into career paths they were deemed best suited for. I don't remember being asked.
There arose a certain social stratification in which I had no daily interaction with many of my classmates until my Senior year when I enrolled in a couple electives to fill out my schedule. I met a whole other half of my classmates whose social class had, like myself, been predetermined, sectioned off. They were considered "working class" while I and others had been deemed "middle Class," college material.
In all of this process there was no offering of choice, critical thinking, or any other related mindful activity... except perhaps, appropriately enough, in English class discussing A Tale of Two Cities...
By the end of my Senior year, all this subconscious compression resulted in an explosion of misplaced rebellion and blind and ignorant determination, almost ending in my expulsion from public education. I don't believe any adult - Guidance Counselor, Teacher, Coach, Parent, Psychologist, or any other person in any position of authority - exercised any critical thinking themselves, and I certainly had no idea how to think, either. I just knew I hated where I was.
All this I say to come to the conclusion that, yes, at some point young people, no, all peophal, ve to learn critical thinking.
As for the young teacher in your essay, the school should return all the private projects on the confiscated computer, regardless of who owns it. However, to avoid such a conflict of interest, he probably should have presented to the school officials a well developed Syllabus for the Critical Thinking portion of his class beforehand.
Shoulda, coulda, woulda...
So, yes, I agree with you that one of several things lacking in education today is critical thinking, perhaps in all subjects being taught, from kindergarten to Graduate School.
As for all the "ifs'' you cite, yes. Of course, you are right. More info is needed to exercise good judgment rather than highly speculative determinations.
So, am I close to agreeing with you over there?
