Those essays certainly aren't where truth or free speech should be exercised, as always found that out the hard way.
Yes, unfortunately, some may say the schools are requiring the children to craft propaganda. Other examples of this are graded assignments which require children to identify words which are "new" vocabulary for them in assigned reading (when the child knows all the words and none are new), and/or to identify something new they've learned in school that day (when they've learned nothing new). This is early exposure to coercion, intimidation, and the unethical behavior of creating false documentation.
