On The Modern American Classroom

Somewhere in the early stages of homeschooling, most people will be introduced to John Taylor Gatto, either through a friend or pure chance. I read Dumbing us Down last fall, along with a bunch of stuff by Holt. That was the point when I became more than just a mom who taught her kids at home. That's when I came to understand the real problems with the modern classroom, the politics involved, and the need to keep my children out of the government's little conspiracy. When asked, I simply tell the rest of the "schooling world" that I homeschool because I think I can give my kids a better education. No one can argue with that, although the "socialization" comment is soon to follow. I try not to get into that, because for some reason most people think that getting teased on a playground is supposed to be a part of life to be savored.

When I requested from the library the books I read last fall, John Taylor Gatto's The Underground History of American Education was not available, and that is true today. Yesterday, I stumbled upon this book at his website: http://www.johntaylorgatto.com/ . You can download the whole book for free on this site.

I spent hours yesterday reading and am even more convicted in homeschooling my children.The problem now is, when people ask about homeschooling, do I educate them on the real reason for the modern classroom? Do I let them in on the fact that the curriculum is designed to keep the masses dumb? That children are intentionally not encouraged to question or challenge ideas because it would be undesirable to the powers of industry? And should I tell them that the American school system is nothing more than an always expanding Government Jobs Program?

I seriously think that information is too much for most people to handle. What has been ingrained in our lives for generations as something good is simply nothing more that a way to keep the elite in power and keep the masses under their thumb. I have never been one to join in conspiracy theories, I generally trust that our government has our best interest at heart, and I am a capitalist. But I am the first to be willing to say I was wrong when the facts are so overwhelming. I believe that our modern school system does nothing to advance our country and is in direct conflict to the basic freedoms on which this country was founded.


The questions raised here will be discussed at length in the future, I’m sure. It’s a subject I am passionate about.


But for now, this question remains: as homeschoolers, do we share this tidbit of information about the real reasons for the modern classroom with the masses? Or do we keep it to ourselves and, within a generation, become the elite?