Education, Not Indoctrination: Santos Muñoz on Policy 8040 and Parental Rights
At The Masterpiece Academy, our mission is to equip parents to lead in education with clarity, courage, and conviction. That includes recognizing the difference between education that forms minds and ideology that molds them.
In this episode, we speak with Santos Muñoz, a U.S. Air Force veteran and Loudoun County School Board candidate, who believes in one truth above all:
Schools should teach students how to think — not what to think.
A Veteran's Journey from Puerto Rico to Public Service
Raised in Carolina, Puerto Rico, Muñoz learned the values of family, faith, and service at an early age. He carried those values into the military, where he became a space and missile officer, contributing to critical operations like Operation Burnt Frost — a mission built on trust, teamwork, and precision.
Today, he's applying those same leadership principles to local education policy in Loudoun County, where he's running to represent families who feel unheard.
What is Policy 8040?
Policy 8040, adopted by the Loudoun County School Board in 2021, provides guidelines for the treatment of transgender students, including pronoun usage and bathroom access. It has sparked public debate, with many parents raising questions about parental notification, student privacy, and policy transparency.
In our conversation, Muñoz doesn’t take an extreme stance. Instead, he speaks as a parent and leader who believes that policies must be rooted in clear communication, respect for all students, and partnership with families, not politics.
Education, Not Indoctrination
A major theme in this episode — and one that resonates deeply with our community at Masterpiece Academy — is the growing concern over ideological overreach in schools.
“We send our kids to school to be educated, not indoctrinated,” Muñoz says. “That means reading, math, science, history — not political socialization.”
This is not a partisan critique — it's a call to return to the basics. Santos is advocating for academic excellence, age-appropriate content, and parental transparency — values that align directly with Masterpiece’s vision of raising well-formed citizen leaders, not misinformed ones.
Stewarding our Votes and Voice
We believe voting is more than a civic duty — it's an act of stewardship. As Muñoz points out, local school board elections have a direct impact on what happens in the classroom.
This episode is a reminder that parents must stay engaged — not only in school activities, but in who makes the decisions behind closed doors.
“You don’t have to agree with me,” he says, “but you deserve to be informed and respected as a parent.”
Reflection and Action
Reflect
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Are your child’s textbooks, assignments, and school communications aligning with your family values?
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Do you know your school board rep’s stance on curriculum development?
Engage
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Watch or listen to this episode with a friend, and talk about what “education, not indoctrination” means to you.
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Speak up — not in outrage, but with conviction — at your next school board meeting.
Steward
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Research all school board candidates before voting. Don’t rely on slogans — look at values, decisions, and public transparency.