PRESS RELEASE October 22, 2009

IndyKids Draws Right-Wing Attacks

IndyKids has recently been criticized on right-wing radio and in the right-wing blogosphere for “indoctrinating children” with “leftist, pro-union, anti-American propaganda.”

AM 710 WOR: http://www.wor710.com/topic/play_window.php?audioType=Episode&audioId=4105536
Sean Hannity Forums:  http://forums.hannity.com/showthread.php?t=1690601
Fireandreamitchell.com: http://www.fireandreamitchell.com/2009/10/20/new-form-of-indoctrination-indykids-newspaper/
Freerepublic: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2367000/posts

As a free newspaper for kids that encourages kids to form their own opinions about world events, we welcome the publicity and discussion.  At schools in New York City, students read The Daily News and The New York Post.  In U.S. schools, kids read God’s World News, Time for Kids, Junior Scholastic and The Mini Pages of Universal Press Syndicate.  School and public libraries use tax dollars to subscribe to Sports Illustrated for Kids, The O’Reilly Factor for Kids and Nintendo Power. Each of these publications carries a point of view, whether stated or not, including the promotion of consumerism, submission to government authority, and support for the corporate elite.

IndyKids believes that in a democratic society, libraries and schools should carry publications with particular points of view, but these institutions should not pretend that these publications are “balanced” or unbiased, while excluding other points of view. IndyKids defines itself as a progressive newspaper that delivers information not heard in publications usually offered to kids or in the mainstream media.

Right-wing pundits may not agree with the perspectives published in IndyKids, but we hope they and their supporters respect kids’ rights to hear many points of view and to draw their own conclusions.

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Check out the latest media about IndyKids:

Critical Educator Network Podcast on IndyKids

Hear interviews with IndyKids staff and teachers who use the newspaper in their classrooms.  (This link will open in your iTunes application. You must have iTunes installed to hear it.)

Learn more about the Critical Educator Network.

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IndyKids volunteers perform a skit at the May 15, 2009 IndyKids benefit