High schooler says he was advised he could lose college acceptances for criticizing ideological conformity

A high school senior in Los Angeles, Zach Gottlieb, wrote an op-ed on the dominance of "approved positions" on "gender identity, patriarchy, cultural appropriation," "microaggressions," and other woke ideological beliefs in class, saying such a move could cost him college admissions.

In an "unusual" turn of events, Gottlieb found himself in a "genuine discussion" with other students on "transgressive ideas," he noted in The Los Angeles Times op-ed, headlined, "Listen up. The closing of the teenage mind is almost complete."

That conversation gave Gottlieb, now known for his Gen Z platform Talk With Zach, a "revelation." 

"Just when my friends and I should be trying out many perspectives and figuring out where we stand, we’re self-censoring, following familiar scripts," he wrote. "I had to wonder, if we spend our teenage years afraid we might share our thoughts in the wrong way or at the wrong moment, how is this affecting a crucial ingredient in becoming an adult: the ability to think critically?"

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A high school senior in Los Angeles, Zach Gottlieb, wrote an op-ed on the dominance of "approved positions" on "gender identity, patriarchy, cultural appropriation," "microaggressions," and other woke ideological beliefs in class. (iStock)

Gottlieb is the founder of Talk With Zach, a platform for Generation Z Americans described by TIME as "a movement and community that aims to change the culture around emotional health for teens."

The high school student wrote that he notices "teenagers unintentionally becoming more unforgiving and judgmental rather than open-minded and compassionate."

"When we can’t or don’t talk freely, we lose the chance to find real common ground, acknowledge complexity or grasp that even our own opinions can be malleable. If we listen only to those who already agree with us, we won’t make wider connections. We won’t grow."

Gottlieb shared that he was advised not to share his story of ideological conformity in the classroom because he "could get canceled online, cut off by peers and perhaps even rejected by colleges." 

"That’s a risk I’m willing to take," he wrote. 

Gottlieb also told a story of a conversation at lunch, during which one student "brought up transgender females getting banned from British rowing."

British Rowing released new eligibility guidelines that will restrict transgender athletes from competing in women’s events in order to "guarantee fair and meaningful competition," the sports governing body announced earlier this year. 

"Letting trans women compete on a women’s rowing team, one kid said, would be like allowing a trans LeBron James to compete in the WNBA," Gottlieb recounted. "A girl we were sitting with immediately called him transphobic and patriarchal. She didn’t just disagree with him. She demanded that he retract what he said."

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Gottlieb shared that he was advised not to share his story of ideological conformity in the classroom because he "could get canceled online, cut off by peers and perhaps even rejected by colleges."  (Fox News)

It was a clear example of what Gottlieb described as a rule in the American educational system: "almost anything can be deemed offensive." 

Gottlieb emphasized that he was not a final authority on political issues, but instead a believer in "open dialogue." 

"I definitely don’t have all the answers," he wrote, "but I believe that daring to get past what’s acceptable and engage in open dialogue — as we did walking away from English class that day — is the key way to finding them and becoming the empathetic critical thinkers we need to be as we grow into adulthood."

"Let’s start talking," he added. 

Gottlieb told Fox News Digital in a statement that he has been receiving "really positive feedback" about his op-ed because he voiced what many were "thinking" about cancel culture in school but were "afraid to voice publicly."

"I was worried about the reaction, but glad I put it out there to articulate what so many people in my generation have been feeling about needing to self-censor instead of engaging in open dialogue," he wrote.

Jeffrey Clark is an associate editor for Fox News Digital. He has previously served as a speechwriter for a cabinet secretary and as a Fulbright teacher in South Korea. Jeffrey graduated from the University of Iowa in 2019 with a degree in English and History. 

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