The Underground History of American American Education: An Intimate Investigation Into the Prison of Modern Schooling
by John Taylor Gatto
published
2003
(first published 2000)
by Oxford Village Press
edit
binding
revised edition
isbn
0945700059
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 149)
Read in January, 2008
recommends it for:
those who lack the introspective skill to figure out for themselves why they hated school
Book online at the author's website
Ah, for the good old days, back before child labor laws, back when no had time for such inventions as "adolescence", back when one could sing a cute song about darkies or niggers without being a racist, back when flogging children in the name of civility was a good thing, though Gatto seems to be of mixed opinion about his own whipping for mispronouncing French verbs...more
Ah, for the good old days, back before child labor laws, back when no had time for such inventions as "adolescence", back when one could sing a cute song about darkies or niggers without being a racist, back when flogging children in the name of civility was a good thing, though Gatto seems to be of mixed opinion about his own whipping for mispronouncing French verbs...more
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Read in January, 2008
recommended to Jessica by:
Someone who was easily influencedrecommends it for: People who are not easily influenced
Let me begin by admitting that I have not finished the book, and I do not intend on ever doing so. The book provides a lot of beliefs and plenty of historical backround to support it, but provides no actual solution. Though it is intresting to view school in a different manner (One that I admit to believing myself) I can not come to support Gatto fully.
Sure school is draining, and ultimately one of the biggest hypocritical stages of our society. (It has us believing that we can do anything,...more
Sure school is draining, and ultimately one of the biggest hypocritical stages of our society. (It has us believing that we can do anything,...more
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Read in November, 2007
recommends it for:
all living humans
six stars. where do i click to give six stars?
i don't even know how to convey the wonderfulness of this book. john taylor gatto taught 8th grade english for 30 years in NYC. in his final few years he was named NYC and NY State Teacher of the Year. then he quit in disgust, his resignation letter ending up published in the Wall Street Journal. he quit because he finally realised that universal compulsory schooling does ghastly harm to every human life it consumes. after he quit, he did 1...more
i don't even know how to convey the wonderfulness of this book. john taylor gatto taught 8th grade english for 30 years in NYC. in his final few years he was named NYC and NY State Teacher of the Year. then he quit in disgust, his resignation letter ending up published in the Wall Street Journal. he quit because he finally realised that universal compulsory schooling does ghastly harm to every human life it consumes. after he quit, he did 1...more
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P. 65 "Growth and mastery come only to those who vigorously self direct. Initiating, creating, doing, reflecting, freely associating, enjoying privacy--these are precisely what the structures of schooling are set up to prevent."
P. 98 Dr. Seuss on writing the Cat in the Hat for a textbook publisher from a list of 223 words.
P. 117 "Process kids like sardines and don't be suprised when they come out oily and dead."
P. 182 "The truth is that America's unprecedente...more
P. 98 Dr. Seuss on writing the Cat in the Hat for a textbook publisher from a list of 223 words.
P. 117 "Process kids like sardines and don't be suprised when they come out oily and dead."
P. 182 "The truth is that America's unprecedente...more
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Read in December, 2007
recommends it for:
anyone, anarchists
Basically, the nature of the compulsory school system in the United States encourages a disinterest in learning as kids are forced to learn arbitrary subjects that have no relation to their lives except as a big happy A or a big sad F. Grubby competition is spurned leading to a tedious life throughout school, but the people who are the most unfortunate are those who do not want to learn when it is "time to learn," and are therefore punished by the system and cast into educational perdi...more
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After having read further into this, I will still say that it is incredibly interesting. Gatto has a definite perspective, and a tendency to sound over-zealous. Then again, he is passionate about what he is writing about and really wants folks to think through the current system. I don't necessarily buy everything he is saying, but do think he brings all sorts of items up that are worth addressing.
++++++
I've just started this book, but it is an amazingly though-provoking read about the state...more
++++++
I've just started this book, but it is an amazingly though-provoking read about the state...more
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2 comments
A book supposedly critical of the whole school enterprise.
Possibly in the tradition of Ivan Illich, an ex-priest who preached de-institutionalization in a rather utopian way.
A friend, now a professor of anthropology, once responded to one of my rants about schools by asking why I was surprised that schools prepared/socialized/indoctrinated children for adult roles in the society as it is.
Good question, that.
____________
Since the above entry was written, I have decided not to ...more
Possibly in the tradition of Ivan Illich, an ex-priest who preached de-institutionalization in a rather utopian way.
A friend, now a professor of anthropology, once responded to one of my rants about schools by asking why I was surprised that schools prepared/socialized/indoctrinated children for adult roles in the society as it is.
Good question, that.
____________
Since the above entry was written, I have decided not to ...more
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I read this book a number of years ago and was blown away. The book is written by a former public school teacher ... he taught in the public school system of NY City. He has extensively researched the history of public education in America and put it together in an amazing expose. He chronicles how socialist/communist influences have been encroaching into the agenda of public education for YEARS. Some of the conclusions he arrives at seem a bit like "conspiracy theories" and yet if e...more
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5 comments
This book was a bit rough, I thought. It needs some editing. There are a lot of good tidbits in it, though. I have always wondered where our education system came from and how it has evolved into the system we now see. This book does a fair job. I am skeptical of a few of his ideas, but that can be answered with more research on my part. I think I went away with more questions then answers, but sometimes that is the purpose of books.
Combine your reading of this with the book "They ...more
Combine your reading of this with the book "They ...more
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a mixed bag of a book.. i think orthodox religious leaning types might enjoy the tone of this one more than i.. but the documentation on why our public education system sucks so hard (it was designed to) is eye opening.. sprinkled with brief but interesting historical narratives on the odd educations of some of our country's most infamous thinkers.. i saw a recent book out there with a similar theme and overview of how we came to be educated by such inadequate means, but i can't remember the fli...more
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Read in September, 2007
This book is something serious. You have to digest it when you read it--definitely not light reading, but it's very eye-opening. I would recommend reading Dumbing Us Down by the same author before this one. Maybe you won't agree with everything he says, but I think every American should be aware of the origins and inspirations for modern public schools... more than a little scary...
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Interestingly, Gatto claims in the preface that this book is not a conspiracy theory. It sure reads like one! There is actually a lot of interesting information in the book ,and it is fairly well documented. I think that due to the amount of information presented, the book also reads like a textbook. So, if you can wade through it, the info is good, but it will be a tough read.
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Read in July, 2007
recommends it for:
everyone in the whole world (especially educators)
If you have EVER sat in a classroom and stared at a clock, watching that minutes go by, then read this. It explains a lot. And if you have never sat in a classroom and stared at a clock then you did not attend public school in the United States.
This book is simply necassary.
This book is simply necassary.
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Read in January, 2006
While I mostly agree with Gatto's assessment of American Government Schools (dismal and corrupt at their roots), this book is a nearly incoherent jumble of recollections and anecdotes that mostly makes one wish that the author had employed the services of a competent editor.
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A must read for anyone interested in why mandatory public schooling was enforced on the children of the world. This book reveals the underground agenda of the architects of government education and questions the philosophical assumptions that it embodies.
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Read in September, 2008
recommended to Jerry by:
John Taylor Gatto
Gatto's pretty conservative, and pretty angry. Get past those and this is a treasure trove of the many wrong acts that brought us the compulsory education system.
Even the footnotes are meaty. Gatto really did his research here.
Even the footnotes are meaty. Gatto really did his research here.
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Read in April, 2008
Holy cow. Interesting and a deep read...and I'm only talking about the table of contents. Seriously. Update: I didn't get past that TOC, but instead picked up a book of the author's speeches...much easier...and great!
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Gatto makes some very valid points in this book. In my work with kids I see the truth of what he has to say. After the first couple of chapters, I made the decision to home-school my daughter.
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Read in April, 2006
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
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How the dumbing down of America happened. Forced standardized schooling imported from the militaristic Prussian empire. Great book of 'Hidden History'.
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