Can students think critically?

My students do a looking great job searching the internet, but as far as critically deciding on whether or not a site is actually selling or reviewing a valid product is a different story. Behind the question of whether or not my students can review an internet site is a deeper question of whether or not our students can think critically, and no I have to say that is not an area that I believe we have done a good job at.....either myself or the teaching profession in general.
When I began my teaching career we did teach critical thinking skills to several classes, it went very well, but with no administrative support it began a slow death. Several of us teachers thought it to be very important for our students but with so much being pushed out out of the curriculum it was not one of the areas that survived. Originally we began with a "kickoff" activity that taught the ways to approach a learning situation, and then we continued to reinforce these skills in the classroom. Students need these skills to be able to compete in our society today.....it is a way to back up what you know, be able to defend it, and evaluate your own thinking. So, now the discussion is coming back again to the importance of Critical Thinking Skills.....and again I do think they are important.We need to go back to what we originally knew was a good idea, dust it off, look at some research ....and help our students to think.....critically!