Former U.S. Representative Sean Duffy and his wife Rachel have turned their family’s cross‑country travels into a YouTube series called “The Great America Road Trip.” The show, which debuted this week, follows the Duffy family as they explore towns, historic sites and colleges across the United States, aiming to reconnect Americans with their country and each other.
College visit sparks a parental‑rights conversation
During a stop in Boston, the Duffys toured Boston College and Harvard University – the latter being their daughter Paloma’s first‑choice school. Before arriving, Duffy sat down with Paloma and warned her that Harvard, like many elite institutions, has become a “factory for anti‑American and anti‑Christian ideas.” He said he would not write a check to fund an education that could undermine the Catholic morals he and his wife have taught their nine children.
Duffy noted that the concern is not unique to his family. He recalled that his oldest daughter, Evita, was “canceled” and even received a death threat at the University of Chicago in 2020 for expressing conservative views. After that experience, the Duffys decided they would only pay for colleges that align with their values.
Finding faith on campus
While at Harvard, the family met Father Nathaniel Sanders, the undergraduate Catholic chaplain. Duffy was impressed by the size of the Catholic student community and the reported number of conversions – nearly 80 students converted to Catholicism last year, according to the chaplain. Father Sanders told Duffy, “If someone has a sense of themselves and a sense of God before coming, I think that will only flower.” Duffy concluded that some young Christians can thrive at Harvard if they have a strong faith community, while others may fall prey to what he calls “woke indoctrination.”
Call for conservative presence in elite schools
Beyond his personal decision, Duffy urged conservatives to “populate” elite universities with students and professors who share traditional values. He advocated for cutting federal funding to schools that teach critical‑theory curricula, demanding ideological diversity in faculty hiring, and stripping tax‑exempt status from institutions that refuse such reforms. He referenced actions taken during the Trump administration to pressure Harvard and similar schools.
Paloma’s application is still pending. Duffy said the family will decide whether to bend their usual rule and allow her to attend if she is accepted, but he emphasized that protecting her soul remains his “sacred duty.”
Why a road trip matters
According to Duffy, a family road trip offers parents uninterrupted time to discuss faith, values and patriotism away from screens and extracurricular pressures. He believes that traveling together helps transmit a Christ‑centered identity that no classroom can erase. The series is available for free on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s YouTube channel.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
