Unintended Consequences

I find it quite interesting that the intended goal for the education system was to provide the poor people in the US a way to learn discipline, order and just enough of the ‘basics’ (reading, writing, and arithmetic) in order to be good citizens (and reduce crime).

The unintended consequences of creating the free public school system is the dumbing down of the majority of the population rather than improving the lot of the minority of the population. Literacy levels in this country have actually declined since the introduction of free public schooling. Why is that?

I remember reading a book by John Gatto (former teacher of the year) called Dumbing Us Down: the hidden curriculum of compulsory schooling). I’m sorry to say that beyond ‘getting it’ on a superficial level I really missed the point that John was making.

Schools are designed to confuse, and to ‘school’ people – not educate them!

Duh. I guess I really am a slow learner. It brings tears to my eyes to re-read some of what he wrote in that book. The book I wanted to write has already been written!

Schooling vs Education