Jeffrey Wick is the author of the book Public Education: The Final Solution in the Conquest of America’s Ideals, published by WinePressBooks, a vanity press. In the book, Wick claims that public schools are involved in a wicked plot to indoctrinate our children into socialism and suppress America’s Christian heritage. The plot is all anchored in Plato’s Republic, but President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the 1960s counterculture are of course largely responsible as well, despite the somewhat unclear connections between hippies and Plato’s strikingly un-hippielike Republic. The “liberal media” is of course in on the whole thing, and yes: it’s a deranged conspiracy theory, not a discussion of ideals or the contents of public school curricula. The book was heavily promoted by the religious fundamentalist hate groupthe American FamilyAssociation.
The conspiracy, a “235-year [the book was published a few years ago] plan to hijack American democracy” that “if left to continue will result in God’s judgment on our nation”, is in particular exemplified by the fact that many public schools these days are sponsoring various community-oriented programs, such as programs to feed hungry children, dinner services (not just to low-income students) and health and wellness programs or family life materials. There are dots to connect here.
Now, wingnut conspiracy theories published by vanity presses and promoted by the American Family Association are a dime a dozen. What sets this one apart is that Wick himself is (or was) the principal of Bowling Green Elementary School in Bowling Green, Virginia.
Diagnosis: Idiot.
