Weapons of Mass Instruction
by John Taylor Gatto
Reviewed by Martha Robinson
Purchase details: Weapons of Mass Instruction (Hardcover, 216 pages, $24.95) by John Taylor Gatto. Published by New Society Publishers. Please support HomeschoolChristian.com by buying this book using our Amazon link.
In his latest book, Weapons of Mass Instruction, John Taylor Gatto, a retired, award-winning public school teacher, shares the wisdom he has gained about how the school system operates and why the school system is the way it is. Drawing from personal experience and extensive research into the people who were instrumental in the founding of compulsory education, he paints a frightening picture of a bureaucracy that is perfectly suited to meet the founder's goals.
The purpose of the school system is far from what most people believe. Mr. Gatto outlines the three goals of public school as represented to the general population:
- To make good people.
- To make good citizens.
- To make each person his or her personal best.
He then provides evidence of the hidden goals which include the following:
- To make good consumers of products
- To make good employees who don't mind tedium
- To make obedient and docile citizens who will accept government decisions
A particularly telling quotation comes from a 1924 education publication regarding the aim of public education: "to reduce as many individuals as possible to the same safe level, to breed and train a standardized citizenry, to put down dissent and originality."
Mr. Gatto shares many examples of successes and failures during his lengthy career as a teacher. He calls for an end to standardized testing and the "class system" that labels children as "gifted," "mainstream," or "special education." The book also details the true meaning of education and the attributes of educated people for the benefit of those who would like to set higher goals.
One of the most striking parts of the book is Mr. Gatto's discourse on colleges. In a letter to his granddaughter, he explains how the Ivy League college which she is considering attending will be less than satisfactory for a real education. The author then relates a story about a speech he gave to students at an upscale high school. When he started to share "the fact that colleges were businesses before they were anything else," the police actually forced him to quit speaking and cleared the building. The press covered the event, but the police involvement was never mentioned.
Recommendation: Weapons of Mass Instruction is an eye-opening look at classroom education from the primary through the post-secondary levels. Mr. Gatto provides evidence of the perfect design of the system to accomplish its sinister goals. With this information in hand, homeschooling parents can design a curriculum that will allow their children to have a true education rather than the poor substitute based on the classroom model. Weapons of Mass Instruction will be an invaluable addition to your library and an important book to share with other parents who are concerned about their children's futures.
HomeschoolChristian.com resources related to this review:
HomeschoolChristian.com's All About Homeschooling Section
with articles about why we homeschool, government intervention, and getting started.
Review of Mysterious Ways, It's How God Works DVD
Review of Worldwide Guide to Homeschooling
Review of Homeschooling Heroes
Find more helpful reviews on HomeschoolChristian.com's Review Page Index!
Reviews represent the opinions of the authors rather than the views of HomeschoolChristian.com.
