Then when you factor in society’s approach to children who do think critically, it gets even worse. Kids in school are encouraged to stay silent and accept what they’re told. A kid who openly questions something a teacher says is liable to get into trouble, both officially by the teacher, and socially by their peers who can’t yet grasp the concept of an authority figure being wrong.

Teachers can share false information all they want, and if a student dares to call out an urban myth, the student can be sent away to the principal’s office. Now the teacher can continue spouting whatever non-fact-checked nonsense they like, the rest of the kids are discouraged from speaking out if they recognize something false, and the critical thinker is labeled a trouble-maker both by the administration and by classmates. It’s an authoritarian hat trick that keeps a lot of kids in line.