The Psychopathic School
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Main Notes
- The author accepts an award on behalf of dedicated teachers who question and redefine education
- There is a significant school crisis linked to a broader social crisis in the United States
- The US ranks at the bottom of 19 industrial nations in reading, writing, and arithmetic
- High teenage suicide rates, especially among affluent youth
- Short-lived marriages in Manhattan
- Loss of community identity due to segregation of children and elderly
- Schools contribute to widening social class gaps
- Schools primarily teach obedience rather than subject matter
- The institution of schooling is described as 'psychopathic' - without conscience
- Compulsory schooling was invented in Massachusetts around 1850 and faced significant resistance
- Literacy rates reportedly decreased after the implementation of compulsory education
- Homeschooling movement has grown significantly, with homeschooled children showing advanced thinking abilities
- Schools were designed for scientific management of mass populations
- Well-schooled individuals are described as 'irrelevant' in the current societal context
- The system of age-graded classrooms and rigid schedules is criticized as 'anti-life'
- Television and schooling are identified as the two main controllers of children's lives
- Children have limited time for self-development due to school, homework, and television
- The author lists several negative traits observed in schoolchildren, including indifference, lack of curiosity, poor sense of future, ahistorical perspective, cruelty, unease with intimacy, materialism, and passivity
- The author calls for a national debate on education reform
- Suggests rethinking fundamental premises of schooling
- Criticizes the top-down approach of educational experts
- Proposes an educational philosophy based on self-knowledge and independent problem-solving
- Advocates for independent study, community service, and apprenticeships
- Emphasizes the importance of family in education
- Calls for a 'Curriculum of Family' to strengthen family bonds
- Urges for new voices and ideas in the education debate
Cue Column
- How does the author's perspective challenge traditional views of education?
- What evidence does the author present to support the claim of a school and social crisis?
- How does the author's description of schools as 'psychopathic' reflect on the education system?
- What historical context does the author provide for compulsory schooling?
- How does the author compare homeschooling to traditional schooling?
- What criticisms does the author make about the design and purpose of schools?
- How does the author describe the impact of schooling on children's development?
- What alternative educational approaches does the author suggest?
- How does the author propose to involve families more in education?
- What role does the author envision for community service in education?
- How does the author's experience with the 'Lab School' program inform his views?
- What barriers to education reform does the author identify?
- How does the author's call for a national debate reflect his view on current educational discourse?
Summary
This chapter presents a scathing critique of the American education system, particularly compulsory schooling. The author, John Taylor Gatto, argues that schools are failing to educate children effectively and are instead producing individuals who are ill-equipped to handle the challenges of modern society.
Gatto contends that schools were designed not to educate, but to manage and control populations. He points to various social issues, such as low literacy rates, high suicide rates among teenagers, and the breakdown of community structures, as evidence of the failure of the education system. He argues that schools, along with television, dominate children's lives, leaving them little time for genuine self-development and learning.
The author describes several negative traits he has observed in schoolchildren, including a lack of curiosity, poor sense of history and future, cruelty, and passivity. He attributes these traits directly to the structure and methods of schooling.
Gatto calls for a radical rethinking of education. He advocates for approaches that foster self-knowledge, independent thinking, and real-world experiences. His suggestions include independent study, community service, apprenticeships, and a greater emphasis on family involvement in education.
The chapter concludes with a call for a national debate on education reform, emphasizing the need for new voices and ideas rather than relying on traditional educational experts. Gatto's perspective challenges deeply ingrained notions about schooling and proposes a more individualized, family-centered approach to education.