Too many universities are getting a bad reputation for indoctrinating students with far-left ideology. 

While this reputation is well-deserved as some institutions, I can confidently say that, in 33 years of teaching, I have not seen much of this at my university.  I have been an advisor for a national honor society for nearly 20 years and I have experienced the mindset of countless students firsthand, nationwide.  I think it safe to say that only a minority of high-profile universities delight in creating a revolutionary atmosphere and there are even fewer really radical professors — but they exist and the media make their presence known. 

A little publicity goes a long way with professors who use their tenured positions as a springboard to gain prominence, especially on high profile campuses. On my campus, there are left wing professors who know that I detest socialism, but the mutual respect that we have for one another means that all political points of view are tolerated, while offensive behavior is quickly addressed and corrected. Fortunately, I am not unduly silenced, nor do I force my point of view on my students.

As a certified public accountant, I teach all aspects of accounting and taxation, which cover a broad array of topics. Accounting and taxation in the United States and the industrialized nations has its roots in a capitalist free market-based system. It is impossible for me to convey the principles of accounting and tax law without advocating capitalist principles. So, I often preface my classes with the facetious interjection that “I am here to poison your liberal (socialist) minds,” quickly indicating that profit motive and entrepreneurship is the forte of a free society. I point out that overbearing income taxation is a financial constraint used by socialists to control an enterprise or even an entire industry. I make the undeniable point that a free market system is a necessity and that socialists tap into wealth already created by capitalists.           

I often get a lot of questions about socialism. I get queried about Bernie Sanders’s free tuition plan. Other questions involve a guaranteed income. This usually leads to a discussion on the government printing money, the national debt and cyber currency. You can obviously see that these debates lead us into the weeds and by default, defeating the efficiency socialist programs is a natural progression. 

I like to tell my students that the income tax is the cornerstone of socialism, the social security system is the biggest Ponzi scheme ever perpetrated on American society, and the Affordable Care Act is a full-frontal attempt to nationalize medical care. Any discussion on these point yields a tender persuasion away from socialism and thus persuades the liberal mind. It is very successful.

Many of my students work part time and their first encounter with the government is the receipt of their first paycheck. Withholding for FICA and Medicare and withholding taxes often get questioned. Consequently, the reality of government intervention in their lives begins to take hold and the liberal mind is slowly transformed. Business schools, apart from economics majors, in general produce capitalists in the long run. 

Parents often confide in me, expressing their anxiety over indoctrination by certain professors. If a university has a reputation for such liberalism, it does not mean that your son or daughter will adopt a political vision adverse to yours. Rather, the field of study is more likely to precipitate liberalism. However, I am sure that if your child comes to my university, there will be an even-handed dose of capitalism and socialism, but they will emerge from my class with a clearer idea of the difference between economic systems. That is what I consider to be my main achievement as a teacher at the college level.