Our young people should be challenged

Editor:

I know that two people can read the same thing and get entirely different messages. For example Peter McKenna’s letter to the young student Alec. He states, after hoping the young man will seek further education at UPEI, "having said that, we like to debate things in a reasoned and civilized way in our classes. So in that spirit that I would challenge some of Alec’s assertions.

Rude and condescending? Are our young people not to be challenged, not to be taught to seek out knowledge?

Peter McKenna goes on to say “First, try to avoid relying on Fox News for any of your basic facts.” Where in this statement does Mr. McKenna say that Alec cannot listen to Fox? I thought he was trying to point out to the young man that there are other networks that have very different views and in the spirit of becoming well informed he should listen to them. Seeking knowledge, having civilized well-informed debates is what a university is all about. Saying a place of higher education is congenial has two meanings. Either it is congenial because you are challenged on what your assertions are or it is congenial because you may state your assertions freely, knowing that you will be challenged, or you might learn something from different points of view.

In this I think UPEI, Acadia or any university offers this environment to learn and be challenged. Carol Capper, Summerside