John Gatto taught for 30 years in New York City public schools before resigning from school teaching on the oped pages of the Wall Street Journal the same year he was named “Teacher of the Year”. Since then, he has been a tireless advocate for school reform traveling over 3 million miles to lecture on the subject. He has been an advisor and speaker to homescholing associations around the world.  His previous book, Dumbing Us Down has sold over 150,000 copies to date.

John’s knowledge and writing about compulsory schooling is an eye opener and if you want the shocking and unvarnished truth about who, how and why education was structured in this country, you will find no better source.

Here is one instructive quote:

It is natural businessmen should seek to influence the enactment and administration of laws, national and international, and that they should try and control education. ~ Max Otto

Gatto goes on to show how and why students were and still are taught to memorize the dots rather than connecting them and how education was designed to separate the classes. It all began believe it or not in 1852 with the adoption of the Prussian model of education. Then just after the civil war, the country shifted from an entrepreneurial economy to a mass market economy and from freedom to industrial capitalism. Once in place, this new educational system took students and “confined them with hired mercenaries” which is what we have today, according to a very informed Gatto.

To contrast the two systems, he points to Ben Franklin whose biography he suggests is must reading. Frankin was the product of a brilliant and daring curriculum–his own. “He was an open source learner for the ages and he will generously show you how the trick is done”.

One of his personal experiences illustrates just one of the many trials by fire he went though during his career. He went to purchase copies of Moby Dick and Shakespeare’s Plays when he discovered he could get a 40% discount by shopping himself at  a book wholesaler.  He went and put 100 copies of each title in his shopping cart and went to heck out. The employee asked if he was a teacher and he answered yes. The clerk then told him he was only entitled to a 25% discount. John told him he was mistaken, that he was entitled to a 40% discount. The clerk replied, “If you don’t like it, take it up with your school board. They negotiated a 25% discount for teachers,  Why would a school negotiate a price that was less than anyone else could get?  You can probably figure out that a deal had been struck between the school and either the distributor or the publisher. Whatever the reason, you can be certain it involved some shadowy dealings. There are many more stories and historical facts that will make your head spin

I hope this short look into the mind of this exceptional educator will compel you to buy a copy of John’s book. It’s an invaluable well written story offering insights on the Alice in Wonderland education system you will find nowhere else. My two word review: Bravo John!

To learn more about this amazing and  highly principled man and his books, visit his site.

Editor’s Note: For the past few years, John and a director have been seeking funds to produce a documentary series, The Forth Purpose, to bring his visionary ideas to a mass audience. I spoke with John Gatto for an hour this morning and am going to be working with him to realize his vision for the film. I’ll keep you posted.