After the reestablishment of independence in 1991, Latvia implemented large-scale educational reforms that enabled the transformation of the educational system from Soviet ideology to a democratic society. The critical thinking approach has been purposefully put into practice in the educational system of Latvia since 1998, as it was regarded as an instrument of the education and democratization of the whole society. The Soviet ideological heritage, which is manifest in the value orientation and daily experience of teachers and parents, encumbers the implementation of the educational reform, as it creates a gap between the reform's objectives and the reality of modifications at the level of school and classroom. Having assessed ten years' experience of critical thinking in education in Latvia, it has been concluded that the problems of complex education have influenced the results of the implementation of this approach. At the same time, reducing the deficit of critical thinking in the society would promote establishment of a democratic educational system in Latvia.