Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling, Vol. 1 FROM THE PUBLISHER
Thirty years of award-winning teaching in New York City's public schools led John Gatto to the sad conclusion that compulsory government schooling has nothing to do with education, doing little but teach young people to conform to the economy and the social order. Dumbing Us Down reveals the shocking reality of today's school system and has become a beaconfor parents seeking alternatives to it. With a new foreword, introduction and afterword, this new edition is even more relevant in setting the agenda for a complete overhaul of how we educate our children -- and for what.
FROM THE CRITICS
Library Journal
In this tenth-anniversary edition, Gatto updates his theories on how the U.S. educational system cranks out students the way Detroit cranks out Buicks. He contends that students are more programmed to conform to economic and social norms rather than really taught to think. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
WomanSource Catalog & Review: Tools for Connecting the Community for Women - FGP
School reform is all the rage these days; there is talk of a national cirriculum, of a return to the "basics," of computers in every classroom. But will these changes ensure a better education for our children? John Gatto, a New York City schoolteacher for 26 years, says "no." He points out that no matter how good the teachers or how progressive the texts, it is the structure of our school system that is the dominant factor in a child's education, teaching them to obey without question, give the answer that is expected, do only what is demanded and conform at all costs. Between school and television, kids have little opportunity to interact with their communities, explore ideas that interest them and persue learning experiences with different adults. Only by returning control over educational options to families and communities can we produce citizens who will be actively engaged in their world.
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