In response to Raymond Brunyanszki’s thoughtful and accurate opinion piece, “Freedom cannot exist without truth,” (July 13), I would add this: One of the reasons we have a divided country has to do with the integration of public schools in the South. To resist and foil efforts at integrating their public schools, some white southerners formed Christian academies attached to little white (literally) churches throughout the South, where students learned the Earth was 4,006 years old and it rained for 40 days, flooding all except Noah on his Ark, with the animals two by two, etc.

When children are raised on lies told by their loved ones and their neighbors, it’s hard to know what’s true and what’s not. And, of course, those Christian schools can’t afford to teach critical thinking skills.

Anyway, I’m just sayin’ …

Chris Queally
Scarborough