We all know that Donald Trump and those like him are constantly spreading disinformation. What happens when they manipulate the truth instead of outright lying? Some of MAGA's latest anti-public education campaigning claims that America is suffering the largest decline in academic performance in history, and that simply isn't true. However, as Dr. Johnny points out, studies and test scores have been designed to support these claims. It isn't as simple as it may seem.

At the bottom of the hour, Professor Sarah Stitzlein of the University of Cincinnati joins us to talk about how truth is the bedrock of democracy. Her book, Teaching Honesty in a Populist Era, is available through Oxford University Press. Use the promo code ASFLYQ6 for 30% off! Dr. Stitzlein will be back on September 25th for a full discussion of the book.

Busted Pencils is a part of the Civic Media radio network and airs Monday through Friday from 6-7 pm across Wisconsin. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows to see the entire broadcast line up. Follow the show on Facebook and X to keep up with Dr. Tim, Dr. Johnny and the show!