I didn't expect to fall in love with this book, but I also didn't expect to be so put off by it. The best part of this book is that it was short. That is the only reason I finished it. The author spends 100 pages ranting about the horrors of public schools. It's funny because I was thinking to myself, "it sounds like this guy is blaming public education for all the problems in this world." and then at the very end of the book he say's, "This system doesn't work, and it's one of the causes of our world coming apart." The other cause, according to him, is television.
So here's the thing, I actually agreed with some of the things he said. I do think there are problems with the school system, some of which he mentioned in this book. However, I already saw those things myself and I don't need some crazy fanatical guy trying to scare me out of the school system by saying things like, "No one survives these places with their humanity intact, not kids, not teachers, not administrators, and not parents." (pg. 56) huh? What are you even saying Mr. Gatto? That because I went through 12 years of public schooling I am no longer human? He really lost me there. I don't know what his definition of humanity is, but it's obviously not the same as mine.
So, his solution to all the problems is to de-certify teachers and do away with public education. That will make everyone self motivated learners who will observe the world around them and become brilliant scholars like Ben Franklin, Plato and Aristotle. We can all have picture perfect childhoods like the authors where we run around smoking all the cigarettes we can find and observing couples in the park making love on blankets all before we are eight years old. Sounds educational doesn't it?
Blech. I'm not going to pretend I have a solution to all the problems with education in America, but I don't believe this guy really has any good suggestions either.