Sunday’s Washington Post ran a paint-by-numbers story about a presentation by a migrant worker to 7th through 12th graders at a private school in Annapolis. The presentation was “part of the Key School’s in-depth study of migrant farm laborers,” said the story, which is pretty standard stuff — until you consider that the school took care to provide more complete picture:

“We teach them to be critical thinkers and critical questioners,” said Becky Schou, head of the middle school’s humanities department. …

Students have taken a range of positions on immigration reform and related issues, with some sympathizing with migrant workers but ultimately supporting the business side.

“They don’t see any other way to make it work,” Schou said.

Although last week’s lectures focused on migrant workers, teachers try to make sure that students understand other points of view, such as those of the farmers and corporations, Schou said.

“I think one of the things we really try to do is present both sides of an issue,” she said.

A primary mission of education is teaching critical-thinking skills, but too often that is forgotten in favor of rote recitation and the inculcation of an agenda. What I like about the Key School’s approach is that, through this program, anyway, there is a true focus on giving its students the facts and allowing them to make up their own minds. Now that’s nonprofit that’s living its mission. | 501(c)