High school seniors soon will toss their mortar boards into the air, celebrating graduation. What will await these new graduates? Are they prepared to become self-sufficient?

There are excellent teachers and excellent students in every school. Unfortunately, test scores and observable actions demonstrate a high percentage of students leave school with an alarming deficiency in basic educational skills and a lack of knowledge of the real world.

These students are blessed to live in one of the greatest nations on earth, yet far too often are taught to hate our country, the founders and capitalism instead of appreciating the freedoms and opportunities available to them. Studies indicate today’s young people have high rates of depression. No wonder if every day students are expected to pretend and accept such unproven opinions as:

Changing climate will destroy the planet.

Globalization is more important than protecting the nation in which they live.

Changing hormones for young adults must mean they were born into the wrong bodies and must act quickly with drugs or surgery to change their sex.

The color of one’s skin, gender or sexual orientation carries more weight than qualifications.

Feelings take precedent in decision making over pertinent facts.

The United States — led by white, privileged men — is responsible for all manner of bad outcomes in the U.S. and around the world.

Capitalism isn’t fair because of unequal outcomes.

The rapid march toward a fully socialist country is in evidence both in legislation and political opinions. Advocates of a market economy are losing ground as socialist myths are promoted to young people.

A recent Axios-Momentive poll of young Americans aged 18 to 24 found, regardless of political affiliation, 54 percent held negative views of capitalism, while only 42 percent held positive views of capitalism. The attraction for socialism reflects a lack of understanding of socialism. As Margaret Thatcher, the former prime minister of the United Kingdom, once said: “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.”

Students are being cheated if they’re allowed to graduate without an understanding of economic realities. This goes far beyond understanding savings accounts, compound interest and balancing a checkbook. Basic economic principles govern transactions. Students need to know how capitalism works. Millions throughout the world yearn for the freedom of a capitalist society. American students need to know why.

After the Berlin wall came down, people in the former East Germany enjoyed new freedoms. They were of meager means, but soon small shops appeared on streets. People sold whatever goods they had to meet the needs others might have and generate funds for themselves. It was Adam Smith’s “invisible hand” at work as described in his book “Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations.” Voluntary trade, the foundation of free enterprise, works to benefit both parties.

Students need to know wealth is generated by individuals, not by governments. The government has no money except the dollars it prints and the dollars it takes from citizens in taxes and fees. The founding fathers specifically limited government. Emphasis was on individual rights, including the right to own property, and individual responsibilities.

Examples abound of communist and socialist economies throughout the world. Both communism and socialism exercise state control over property and production. Students need to know the importance of protecting property rights. A large, powerful, central government leaves no room for individual freedoms. The individual is sacrificed for the collective.

Future leaders elected at the city, county, state and federal levels are being educated today. History is replete with failed countries, failed societies and failed economic systems. In athletics, coaches and players make every effort to imitate skills and procedures known to be successful. It only makes sense to govern based on successful economic and governance models. Mark J. Perry, an economist and senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, said:
“As we’ve learned from countless examples throughout history, including now Venezuela, the main difference between capitalism and socialism is this: capitalism works.”

Courage is needed to tell students the truth: free market capitalism is the only economic system proven to provide each individual with the best opportunity to thrive. The more socialist America becomes, the less freedom there’ll be for all.