John Taylor Ghatto

A very bold and powerful message is seen throughout the article, "Against School: How Public Education Cripples our Kids, and Why". He explains the modern education system in sort of a conspiracist point of view, in which I enjoyed reading this perspective on education. The article talks about the boundaries kids face in today's schooling, which result in no originality or innovative thinking. The ability to think critically and independently is suppressed by a mandatory curriculum and passing grades, which hinders a potentially brilliant idea. "School trains children to obey reflexively; teach our own to think critically and independently," says Ghatto. I liked how he brought up the idea of not all inventors and bright minds go through the education system. He uses examples such as, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln, who didn't become who they are by going through the school system and graduating from a secondary school. After reading his article and take on our current education process, I don't believe hes completely against the system, but he insists on a change to be made both in schools and kids. I think it's great that he offers tips to avoid the "dumbing down" system. "Urge them to take on serious material, the grown-up material...all the stuff schoolteachers know well enough to avoid. Don't underestimate what your child is capable of, even at a very young age, "...there's no telling what your own kids could do."