Dumbing Us Down - Part 3 - The Last Part

I just have a few more favorite quotes from Dumbing Us Down that I want to write about.  Hope you haven't minded joining my journey through this book.  And heck, if you have minded, why didn't you just click "next blog" and come back later? 

From: We Need Less School, Not More

"Whatever an education is, it should make you a unique individual, not a conformist; it should furnish you with an original spirit with which to tackle big challenges; it should allow you to find value through life, it should make you spiritually rich, a person who loves whatever you are doing, wherever you are, whenever you are with; it should teach you what is important: how to live and how to die."

Boy, does that slap institutionalized schooling in the face or what?  Everything public schools aren't is right there.  Mr. Gatto, I'm not sure I can add anything. 

From: The Congregational Principle

I like Gatto's comparison of institutional schools to Procustes from Greek mythology.  Procustes cut or stretched travelers to fit his guest bed (and if you are a Percy Jackson fan, he did it in a water bed store in LA).  Schools take the individual out of the individual.  One could argue that it isn't schools that do that, but rather it is the nature of kids.  They use peer pressure and group think to make everyone fit in.  But anyone who argues that, hasn't spent time with homeschoolers.  I love spending time with homeschoolers, the kids revel in their uniqueness.  Want to wear stripes and plaid together one day?  No one will care, and many will say "what a cool choice!"  Like polka music?  That's neat!  Want to speak out that you hate the popular band that everyone else is saying they love?  That's okay, no one will stop liking you.  No one is going to cut you to fit the bed they have available, let your feet hang off the end.

"Monopoly schooling is the major cause of our loss of national and individual identity."

See the previous comments. 

"Don't be panicked by scare tactics into surrendering your children to experts."

This goes for everything in life, not just school.  If you don't like what the "experts" tell you find other experts, or better yet, become an expert yourself.  Don't be afraid to stand up for what you believe in.  Especially where your children are concerned.