Hillsdale College’s DOJ Survey: A Masterclass in Hypocrisy Disguised as Civic Concern

Hillsdale College’s latest “National Survey on the Department of Justice” masquerades as a civic exercise in constitutional literacy and patriotism. In reality, it’s a loaded questionnaire riddled with ideological bias, selective outrage, and institutional self-congratulation. Far from promoting constitutional order, this survey reveals Hillsdale’s deep entanglement in a partisan culture war—ironically undermining the very principles of equal justice and civic education it claims to uphold.

The survey opens with a question any reasonable person would answer affirmatively: “Do you believe in the constitutional principle of equal justice?” But quickly, the mask slips. Subsequent questions shift from abstract ideals to coded political messaging: “Do you believe the far-Left uses the Department of Justice to target constitutional conservatives?” This is not a good-faith attempt to gauge public opinion—it’s a rhetorical trap, designed to confirm a worldview rather than explore the public’s views on justice or democracy.

The language is ideologically charged and binary. There is no question about right-wing abuses of federal power, no concern for political violence from the far-right, and no space for nuance. Respondents are offered a singular narrative: that left-wing actors have “weaponized” the DOJ, and that only Hillsdale’s form of “sound education” can prevent tyranny.

Even the educational initiatives Hillsdale boasts about—its 1776 Curriculum, its “American Left: From Liberalism to Despotism” course—are less about critical civic engagement and more about indoctrination. There’s no mention of racial injustice, mass incarceration, or corporate influence in shaping federal law enforcement priorities. Those issues, central to any serious discussion about equal justice, are absent. Instead, Hillsdale reinforces the myth that it alone is safeguarding the Constitution.

The college’s proud refusal to accept federal or state aid—touted in question eight—is framed as proof of moral and intellectual purity. But this “independence” allows Hillsdale to operate outside the standard frameworks of accountability that most institutions of higher learning must navigate. It also enables the school to present one-sided content without the obligations tied to Title IV compliance or public transparency.

While the survey parades as a constitutional check on tyranny, it is in fact a political tool—a form of ideological branding meant to consolidate a conservative base under the guise of education. This approach not only fails to promote meaningful civic discourse but actively contributes to its erosion.

If Hillsdale College were genuinely interested in fostering a thoughtful dialogue on the rule of law and civic education, it would ask more open-ended questions, avoid partisan framing, and welcome diverse viewpoints. Instead, it’s selling a product: a prepackaged narrative that conflates conservatism with constitutional fidelity and equates dissent with radicalism.

In the end, the survey doesn’t reflect a deep concern for the Department of Justice or the American legal system—it reflects Hillsdale’s campaign to position itself as the intellectual vanguard of a specific political movement. And for a college that claims to champion critical thinking, that’s the real betrayal.

Sources:

• Hillsdale College, National Survey on the Department of Justice (2025)

• “Hillsdale’s 1776 Curriculum,” Hillsdale College

• Imprimis, Hillsdale College

• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

• Federal Student Aid: Title IV Compliance Information