A note to parents. Yesterday, President Trump suggested that I and my peers are teaching kids to hate their country and to embrace some peculiar blend of “left-wing fascism.” This is a claim of particular concern to me as I teach sociology…which means I spend a lot of time talking about Karl Marx and his theories as they relate to sociology. I want to assure my parents that my goal and the goal of my social studies teaching peers is not to indoctrinate your children in any way, let alone into fascism. My peers do approach social studies with a variety of points of view. Most are political centrists, but some can be located in various degrees to the left and right of center. However, we are all dedicated to teaching your children how to think and learn critically. In other words, we are doing the opposite of indoctrinating your kids. We are teaching your kids how to not be indoctrinated. Any theories that I discuss in class are evaluated based on their utility to understanding the social world, their strengths and their weaknesses. I encourage students to read for themselves the works of many social thinkers, including Marx, and to form their own judgements. Parents are welcome to take a look at any of my teaching materials, most of which are posted on this website, sit in on my classes, and contact me directly with any questions they might have with regard to the material I teach. I will also be happy to describe my particular approach to studying the social world. My peers and I want nothing but the best for your children. Having teachers with diverse views and perspectives benefits your children and protects them from indoctrination.