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 the big challenges. It should allow you to find values which will be your road map through life; it should make you spiritually rich, a person who loves whatever you are doing, wherever you are, whomever you are with; it should teach you what is important, how to live and how to die.
John Taylor GattoIndividuality, family, and community are, by definition, expressions of singular organization, never of "one-right-way" thinking on the grand scale. Children and families need some relief from government surveillance and intimidation if original expressions belonging to THEM are to develop. Without these freedom has no meaning.
John Taylor GattoIt only takes about 50 contact hours to transmit basic literacy and math skills well enough that kids can be self-teachers from then on. The cry for 'basic skills' practice is a smokescreen behind which schools pre-empt the time of children for twelve years and teach them the six lessons I've just taught you.
John Taylor GattoYou can make your own son or daughter one of a kind if you have the time and will to do so; school can only make them part of a hive, herd or anthill.
John Taylor GattoI donโt think weโll get rid of schools any time soon, certainly not in my lifetime, but if weโre going to change whatโs rapidly becoming a disaster of ignorance, we need to realize that the institution โschoolsโ very well, but it does not โeducateโ; thatโs inherent in the design of the thing. Itโs not the fault of bad teachers or too little money spent. Itโs just impossible for education and schooling to be the same thing.
John Taylor Gatto