Scan barcode
amayasmith1457's review
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
After reading Dumbing Us Down, I was interested in reading Gatto's other literary works. Similar to Dumbing Us Down, I found the book to be compelling, thought provoking, and details the cons of the modern school system. However, after reading it, I began to develop speculations about the author's perspective and the information provided.
From the beginning of the book, the author makes it clear that he "hates" the idea of school even though he was popular among his students for the 33 years he taught. This can be proven by his understanding that school is an evil entity that must be destroyed due to its original purpose, which has changed dramatically throughout the years, but always ends with some form of indoctrination. Due to being indoctrinated, it continues to separate the family. In addition to that, schools are designed to be a part of the capitalist society due to all the testing and resources that are created for it. As a result, parents should homeschool their children. In both books I read, he makes it clear that his profession before teaching was working in the advertising business. From knowing this, homeschooling could be another form of isolation, which he mentions does occur with schooling, to further separate the individual from society and the family. Toward the end of the book, he compares schools to Davy's safety lamp where he views both as being "a blessing to some [and] a curse to others." After reading that, it made me feel that Gatto understood it was the people (Mann and Rockefeller) that gave school a bad name. What the author wants is for students to have the independence and the liberty to learn what they want when they want to, which is commonly seen in "rich" schools than "poor" ones.
From this conflicting viewpoint, it seems like Gatto is more about expressing an opinion than reflecting on the information he is collecting. Then again, it could be he wants us to ask the questions and do more of the research.
Other than the indecisive viewpoint, the book lacked in-text citations and footnotes. At the beginning, Gatto makes it clear this is not a "history book". Instead, the author gives scrap pieces to understand who and why the school system was designed. By doing this is gives the reader a quick synopsis without being weighed down. However, I found it odd that a book with statistics did not have the proper citations (in-text, footnotes, or bibliography). At the end of the book, he does give this short reason why he didn't have a formal bibliography, but does list the 29 book titles. For someone who has studied history, the big thing that was emphasized was to be cautious with literary that doesn't properly cite information or bends the information from that citation. From reading this, I believe that. One thing I found interesting was his take on literacy. Gatto mentions the 1992/93 National Adult Literacy Survey and then gives 6 quantitative points from it. Being curious, I searched for the survey thinking it would be fairly to find and to read, but that was not the case. In fact, it's a whole book that I found on Google Scholar. The survey only had 11 states (California, Louisiana, Washington, and Texas etc.) participate along with 87 prisons. Furthermore, the survey also claims that blacks and Hispanics were oversampled. How Gatto simplifies the information makes it seem as if literacy rates were decreasing rapidly due to the new techniques schools were implementing, but that was not the case at all. In fact, they were testing certain sectors of the population that had low literacy rates. So, to use this survey to reflect the country's low literacy rates was inaccurate. In conclusion, giving a brief history without proper documentation can be detrimental to someone without a historical background because one is not given the entire picture.
Overall, Gatto does a good job at expressing his opinion about the school system. In addition to that, the book was compelling and thought provoking allowing for discussion to be made, if needed. I would recommend this book to people interested in education and its reform. The only note I would make is to read with caution and continue to research the ideas that are being stated in this book due to the author's belief and lack of understanding history.
From the beginning of the book, the author makes it clear that he "hates" the idea of school even though he was popular among his students for the 33 years he taught. This can be proven by his understanding that school is an evil entity that must be destroyed due to its original purpose, which has changed dramatically throughout the years, but always ends with some form of indoctrination. Due to being indoctrinated, it continues to separate the family. In addition to that, schools are designed to be a part of the capitalist society due to all the testing and resources that are created for it. As a result, parents should homeschool their children. In both books I read, he makes it clear that his profession before teaching was working in the advertising business. From knowing this, homeschooling could be another form of isolation, which he mentions does occur with schooling, to further separate the individual from society and the family. Toward the end of the book, he compares schools to Davy's safety lamp where he views both as being "a blessing to some [and] a curse to others." After reading that, it made me feel that Gatto understood it was the people (Mann and Rockefeller) that gave school a bad name. What the author wants is for students to have the independence and the liberty to learn what they want when they want to, which is commonly seen in "rich" schools than "poor" ones.
From this conflicting viewpoint, it seems like Gatto is more about expressing an opinion than reflecting on the information he is collecting. Then again, it could be he wants us to ask the questions and do more of the research.
Other than the indecisive viewpoint, the book lacked in-text citations and footnotes. At the beginning, Gatto makes it clear this is not a "history book". Instead, the author gives scrap pieces to understand who and why the school system was designed. By doing this is gives the reader a quick synopsis without being weighed down. However, I found it odd that a book with statistics did not have the proper citations (in-text, footnotes, or bibliography). At the end of the book, he does give this short reason why he didn't have a formal bibliography, but does list the 29 book titles. For someone who has studied history, the big thing that was emphasized was to be cautious with literary that doesn't properly cite information or bends the information from that citation. From reading this, I believe that. One thing I found interesting was his take on literacy. Gatto mentions the 1992/93 National Adult Literacy Survey and then gives 6 quantitative points from it. Being curious, I searched for the survey thinking it would be fairly to find and to read, but that was not the case. In fact, it's a whole book that I found on Google Scholar. The survey only had 11 states (California, Louisiana, Washington, and Texas etc.) participate along with 87 prisons. Furthermore, the survey also claims that blacks and Hispanics were oversampled. How Gatto simplifies the information makes it seem as if literacy rates were decreasing rapidly due to the new techniques schools were implementing, but that was not the case at all. In fact, they were testing certain sectors of the population that had low literacy rates. So, to use this survey to reflect the country's low literacy rates was inaccurate. In conclusion, giving a brief history without proper documentation can be detrimental to someone without a historical background because one is not given the entire picture.
Overall, Gatto does a good job at expressing his opinion about the school system. In addition to that, the book was compelling and thought provoking allowing for discussion to be made, if needed. I would recommend this book to people interested in education and its reform. The only note I would make is to read with caution and continue to research the ideas that are being stated in this book due to the author's belief and lack of understanding history.
dav1es's review
5.0
This changed my viewpoint for life and many suspicians came true. A scary book, it will make you want to home school your children or something! It partially explains why I oftren have difficulty keeping a job but the students and parents love me....because it is not about that.
xinetr's review
5.0
It's not history as in primary source stuff; more like a sociological review of other histories. But I love his lens. I think we need to free students up to preserve intellectual vitality. People are not widgets who can be produced to a "standard." Intellectual vitality and flexibility will be necessary for feeling fulfilled and moving ahead, creatively, into a positive future. (I think I read a pre-release version purchased directly off JTG's website.)
grllopez's review
5.0
Excellent insight into America's public education system.
My review of all five parts to Underground History of American Education, beginning with the Prologue: http://amightyfortresshomeschool.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-underground-history-of-american.html
My review of all five parts to Underground History of American Education, beginning with the Prologue: http://amightyfortresshomeschool.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-underground-history-of-american.html
knarusk's review
5.0
Incredibly crazy type of fun read as long as you don't have own kids. As soon as you do, it can then easily become a second nightmare.
mjscharen's review
5.0
This book is a must-read for every American, European, or member of the Commonwealth. And, I'm sure, that wherever there were European colonies around the world in the 19th century, the story this book tells applies to you as well. This is the story of our indoctrination. This is the story of how citizens are molded in the school house as obedient tools of the State (under -- no kidding -- the Prussian model), and those self-appointed overlords. John Taylor Gatto knew what he was talking about as one who took part in our brainwashing for thirty years. I, for one, salute him for being so brutally honest. What amazes me still is though compulsory education had the first American kids marched to the school-house by US soldiers, they still managed to avoid a large part of the gaslighting in the century before last. The poorest of people, working in mines or shoved onto the battlefields of Lincoln's War of Northern Aggression, could write beautiful letters that would put me and anyone I know to shame. However, in the dawn of the twentieth, the programming really began in earnest. I knew when I had read it that I had not escaped either, though the scales have been gone from my eyes for a few years now.
Read this book in conjunction with some other favorites of mine, namely Murray Rothbard's Conceived in Liberty -- Vols I-IV and the newly released V can be found as free PDFs if you look hard enough, and Marc Stevens' Government: Indicted and you will begin to understand the Matrix we all live in. It is a house of cards that does not stand up to any logical examination. Just start to ask yourself how many things you have taken on faith in your lifetime such as the deification of Lincoln, FDR, or Alexander Hamilton or the Social Contract. The public compulsory schools were needed in order to pound these lies into our heads. Lincoln was a smooth talking corporate lawyer (for the railroads who received beaucoup subsidies.) The Federal Housing Authority, FHA -- begun under FDR -- practiced redlining of loans until 1968. His food programs were completely missing in 5 states during the Depression which did not end until after he was dead. (The bulk of the money went to pay off supporters in states like Illinois.)
I believe I missed a good deal of this brainwashing as I was in math and science, where one cannot lie, but even that is out the window these days. A friend of mine, going back to school late in life just told me that the California University system will send people into a first calculus class with no real prerequisites. People show up in class barely or not knowing algebra -- three years of missing math courses before they are thrown into the pit!
Mark Twain was quoted as saying, "If you do not read the newspapers you are uninformed. If you do read the newspapers, you are misinformed." The same can be said for government schooling. If you get a reasonably good education, it is in spite of the system, and not because of it.
Read this book in conjunction with some other favorites of mine, namely Murray Rothbard's Conceived in Liberty -- Vols I-IV and the newly released V can be found as free PDFs if you look hard enough, and Marc Stevens' Government: Indicted and you will begin to understand the Matrix we all live in. It is a house of cards that does not stand up to any logical examination. Just start to ask yourself how many things you have taken on faith in your lifetime such as the deification of Lincoln, FDR, or Alexander Hamilton or the Social Contract. The public compulsory schools were needed in order to pound these lies into our heads. Lincoln was a smooth talking corporate lawyer (for the railroads who received beaucoup subsidies.) The Federal Housing Authority, FHA -- begun under FDR -- practiced redlining of loans until 1968. His food programs were completely missing in 5 states during the Depression which did not end until after he was dead. (The bulk of the money went to pay off supporters in states like Illinois.)
I believe I missed a good deal of this brainwashing as I was in math and science, where one cannot lie, but even that is out the window these days. A friend of mine, going back to school late in life just told me that the California University system will send people into a first calculus class with no real prerequisites. People show up in class barely or not knowing algebra -- three years of missing math courses before they are thrown into the pit!
Mark Twain was quoted as saying, "If you do not read the newspapers you are uninformed. If you do read the newspapers, you are misinformed." The same can be said for government schooling. If you get a reasonably good education, it is in spite of the system, and not because of it.
shanehawk's review
4.0
Very intriguing perspective through essays on various aspects of compulsory schooling, its history and its effects up to today.
While Gatto appears to be a centrist libertarian his presentation of history is objective. His snarky opinion seeps through in his essays cataloging his personal experience of thirty years in the system which is understandable and not overbearing.
Recommended to all friends and family looking to teach or putting their children into public school.
4.5/5 stars
While Gatto appears to be a centrist libertarian his presentation of history is objective. His snarky opinion seeps through in his essays cataloging his personal experience of thirty years in the system which is understandable and not overbearing.
Recommended to all friends and family looking to teach or putting their children into public school.
4.5/5 stars
More...