John Taylor Gatto is well known in the homeschooling world. He has written articles and books that give an inside look at the compulsory school system. In his article “Against School” he talks about how public education is the worst possible way for a child to receive an education. Not only does he reference his own experiences as a teacher for over thirty years, but he uses extensive research to support his claims. The article talks about the boredom of both students and teachers. He also spends a lot of time discussing the rampant infantilism in schools, both among students and adults. Boredom appears to be a common and accepted condition for anyone involved in the compulsory twelve-year school system. Gatto wonders why schools are so boring and comes to the answer that they may be designed to keep children from growing up. Boredom, he knows, is a condition of infantilism, not of maturity. He learned this lesson from his grandfather at the tender age of seven, when he was severely scolded for complaining of being bored. Gatto questions the need, not for education, but for compulsory schooling in its current form. His article mentions many famous Americans who never had the “benefit” of that style of education. It describes some of their achievements, often at ages we consider very young. Until recently, no one over the age of thirteen was considered a child. Americans confuse education with school and often believe that school leads to success. Many people around the world find ways to educate themselves without this prison-like system, he says. Gatto's article traces the history of compulsory schooling and explains its true purpose. He quotes HL Mencken who claims that ...... halfway through the document ...... sets the educational goals that parents set for the child. So if this is a great idea, why don't teachers get behind it? Albert Shanker, former president of the American Federation of Teachers, says it best: "When school-age children start paying union dues, then I will begin to represent the interests of school-age children." Will the government ever be able to handle the genius unleashed upon the world by a population of educated men and women? The answer, Gatto says, is to let them manage themselves. Works Cited Gatto, JT (10/11). Against the school. Annual editions: Social problems, pp. 134-137. Association for the legal defense of nursery schools. (2004, October 22). Homeschooling Academic Statistics. Retrieved July 8, 2011, from Homeschool Legal Defense Association: http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/000010/200410250.asp
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