-John Taylor Gatto, Former New York State Teacher of the Year

The Education Revolution is now. More than ever, parents are pulling their children out of traditional government schooling and enrolling them in private schools or starting homeschooling programs.

This could be attributed to the latest flop, and the People's righteous resistance, of Common Core, the first national standards to lure the public schools into virtual intellectual submission.  Although it is voluntary, 45 states opted in to receive its alluring federal funds.  The most senseless component of Common Core is that once a state adopts its standards they lose their power to change the standards, which then will be determined by the federal government indefinitely into the future.

The good news is that the People are sensing that gut feeling akin to "We've had enough of this."  This is a positive notion to have.  However, the challenge lies in creating solutions to the problem which encourage lasting change and, most importantly, benefits the children.

To illustrate this challenge, imagine you were a medical doctor and a man came to you to fix his broken arm. Would you give him a pill to numb the pain or would you examine the cause of the pain? You probably would take an X-ray view of his arm, determine exactly where it is BROKEN and then you would reset the bone to put it in correct alignment with his whole arm so that it would function optimally for future use.

In the same way, we want to see exactly where the public schooling system is broken so that we can realign it with an optimal function.  

What is Education?

We're going to take a quick look at two icons of education to generate some ideas on  what education is.

Let's jump back in time to 1897 when a book titled My Pedagogic Creed was authored by John Dewey, who many recognize as the paramount factor in the collectivization of American schools.  Here's what he wrote:

"The school is primarily a social institution. Education being a social process, the school is simply that form of community life in which all those agencies are concentrated that will be most effective in bringing the child to share in the inherited resources of the race, and to use his own powers for social ends. Education, therefore is a process of living and not a preparation for future living."  

Well, well, well.

Did you see the word "social" three times in this paragraph? And what is missing?

We both know in our heart of hearts that the whole idea of education should explicitly promote learning.  As all good teachers want to empower their students to become adults who are independent and, therefore, able to be a benefactor of society.  This all requires learning.

Yet Dewey just said school is a social institution, that education is a social process, and that children are to use their own powers for social ends.   What ever happened to learning?

What do you think education is for?

For another perspective, let's refer to John Taylor Gatto, who was a public school teacher for 30 years in New York and received its highly prestigious teaching award, the State Teacher of the Year award, in 1991.  He was quoted previously. Let's hear him again:

"An educated person writes his own script through life. He is not a character in anyone else's play, nor does he mouth the words of any intellectual's utopian fantasy. He is self-determined."

This explanation transcends mere social outcomes by eliciting creativity, clarity, and resolve from the student to his eternal benefit.  An educated person charts his own path on the journey of life. He pursues his natural interests and spends his time exploring and discovering different experiences which satisfy him.  These self-determined objectives inspire him, motivate him, and fulfill him.

The Way Out

Living in the age of the internet where huge advancements in information technology are commonplace, it's fair to say that the future is unknown.  In the distant past it may have been easier to forecast a general vision of society in the future, when industrialized work environments were prominent and employees were regarded as raw material and human resources.  However, according to Forbes.com, there are 62 million people in America who make their living from home. That's 20% of the working population who exclusively earn their living from home. And it's been increasing.

What if the solution to the schooling problem was to opt-out of the public schooling system and homeschool your child?

Or perhaps, you would feel comfortable putting your child in a private school that encouraged him to pursue and develop his own, self-selected interests.

Otherwise, you could apply for a seat in a charter school. Though that process isn't guaranteed because they select students on a lottery system, which could put you in the same position that you are in now. 

The absolute worst thing any parent or guardian could do right now is nothing.  We tell ourselves, "I am not a good teacher," "It will cost too much," "I might harm my child's future."  Welcome to the club.  None of us know what we are doing. Everyone is living life as it comes, day by day, as we plan and improvise the best we can. 

The prolific scientist, Albert Einstein, purportedly said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge."

What the heck does that mean?

George Lucas, the famous movie director, who created the Star Wars films, said, "You can't do it, unless you imagine it."

Before we say goodbye in this session together. Let's play a game.

Imagine that you are a good teacher, with plenty of capital, and you encourage your child in any venture he chooses for himself.  What would you do then?

It's a fun mind experiment to bounce around in your head. Use your mind to create some possibilities for the mind of your child. Most of us just need a little guidance to become stronger leaders.  Yes, we must learn. Yes, we must make mistakes. And, yes, we will succeed.

The reason that success is our destiny is because we are the most fascinating and wonderful things on earth.  But why hasn't anybody told us that?

And, more importantly, who told that to your child today?

We live in the Golden Age of human history.  Virtually anything your child is interested in is accessible through the internet and your local library.  Whether you decide to opt out of the public schooling system, attempt to reform it, or to merely curse it until you're blue in the face, the time has come for everyone to do something.

As this country's magnificent creation showed us, the right to your life and liberty is inherent. It is in your Self now. It cannot be taken out of you.  It can only be taken out of your memory. Public schools do this well.

Through blatant programs, like Agenda 21, the state is erasing memories of our natural rights.  We are becoming social beings only. We are distracted, confused, and wandering. 

Yet this day is new with unseen possibilities, which each of us have the power to create.

Let's write our own scripts today and lay our heads down tonight knowing we lived well.  That we lived as a human being. 

-To see new, unreleased articles and the 2014 edition of The Underground History of American Education by John Taylor Gatto, visit www.UndergroundHistoryBook.com

-To get free access to John's previous edition of The Underground History of American Education, put "Access" in the message before submitting your request form.