On this point, there may be validity to the research you cite (which I haven't yet reviewed). Perhaps it's just that the leftists who are intellectually biased and deficient are often so loud and shrill that it *seems* as though their numbers are equal to those of conservatives.

There's also the point (which I stand by) that, regardless of whether or not the raw numbers themselves are equal, reductionists from both "sides" (as blandly as that can be defined) are still wrong out of principle -- even if one "side" quantitatively outnumbers the other.

Regarding my high school: Yes, you're absolutely right. They could have done it mindfully, tweaking both the schedule as well as enriching/revamping the curriculum itself. But Mr. Taylor was hired to complete a hasty cosmetic alteration...and his ego was always going to end with him declaring victory, regardless of the quality (or lack thereof). I'm just glad I wasn't around to be a part of it.

I would agree that "Do Your Own Research," by itself, isn't necessarily bad advice. The problem arises when someone "does their own research" and they instantly defer to "expert opinions" that aren't nuanced or well-balanced. I'm specifically thinking of so-called "antiracism" here (e.g. White people who desperately want to learn how to become "allies").