Fourth Purpose Schooling
Jan. 30, 2006 at 8:31 AM
Homeschooling
My head and notebook are full of quotes and thoughts after listening to John Taylor Gatto and Rob and Cindy Shearer this weekend. The speakers dovetailed each other very nicely. Gatto gave us the state's vision for our children and the Shearers inspired us with a Godly vision for our children. The weekend left me inspired and challenged.
For those who may not be familiar with the John Taylor Gatto, he was the New York State Teacher of the Year on three occassions. After he was selected, he wrote an editorial I May Be A Teacher But I'm Not An Educator in the Wall Street Journal (read it here). In the editorial he quit his teaching postion saying that he was no longer willing to hurt children. He then began a quest to speak out on what's wrong in education and how the state educational system is actually dumbing us down to serve the needs of the state.
Gatto's talks were centered around the theme of "Fourth Purpose Schooling". He introduced each purpose in his first talk The Underground History of American Education. (You can read his whole book of the same title here. )
From the public's perspective he outlined the four purposes of education:
1. To make good people.
2. The make good citizens.
3. To allow each individual to be their personal best.
4. The managerial goal of social efficiency.
Gatto believes we have moved past the first three purposes in the United States. He asserts that we are now in the fourth purpose that of a managed economy directed by the state and its largest corporations. (This was first introduced in the late 1800's by the NEA's Committee of Ten and its suggestion of core curriculum standards.)
The partnership between the two will create a way to manage the economy and people toward the benefit of those entities. The large corporations define their needs and the state creates employees to fit those needs. Gatto describes on his website how this is accomplished,
I will in future posts talk about some of the other things from the conference. I encourage everyone to read the Underground History of American Education and gain a greater understanding of the quiet social revolution taking place right before our eyes. You may not agree with all he says but he will definitely get you thinking.
This "reform" has implications for our society as a whole. Those of us who homeschool will be affected by the educational structure that is required for a managed economy. Standarized testing is the oil that makes the engine of this type of economy run. The state needs compulsory schooling and testing is the ensure that all children are taught what they need to know to be a good citizen in the global economy managed by the state. (Note: Homeschooling is not desirable in in a managed economy. Just ask a German homeschooler Shiela Lange.)
A Good Life?
Governor Granholm in her speech defined a "good life" this way,
I wish I could write more about this. But I have to get to the education of my children. We are starting World War II today. Germany and Hitler are the topics of this week's reading.
Related Tags: homeschooling, public schools, education, John Taylor Gatto, compulsory education, stanardized testing, socialism
For those who may not be familiar with the John Taylor Gatto, he was the New York State Teacher of the Year on three occassions. After he was selected, he wrote an editorial I May Be A Teacher But I'm Not An Educator in the Wall Street Journal (read it here). In the editorial he quit his teaching postion saying that he was no longer willing to hurt children. He then began a quest to speak out on what's wrong in education and how the state educational system is actually dumbing us down to serve the needs of the state.
Gatto's talks were centered around the theme of "Fourth Purpose Schooling". He introduced each purpose in his first talk The Underground History of American Education. (You can read his whole book of the same title here. )
From the public's perspective he outlined the four purposes of education:
1. To make good people.
2. The make good citizens.
3. To allow each individual to be their personal best.
4. The managerial goal of social efficiency.
Gatto believes we have moved past the first three purposes in the United States. He asserts that we are now in the fourth purpose that of a managed economy directed by the state and its largest corporations. (This was first introduced in the late 1800's by the NEA's Committee of Ten and its suggestion of core curriculum standards.)
The partnership between the two will create a way to manage the economy and people toward the benefit of those entities. The large corporations define their needs and the state creates employees to fit those needs. Gatto describes on his website how this is accomplished,
If all of this sounds a bit far fetched and conspiratorial then let me remind you again of the words of Governor Jennifer Granholm from my state of Michigan. She said this in her state of the state address last Wednesday evening.All of us are to be made perfectly and dependably manageable, using every trick of psychology, social pressure, or brute force known to history.
To bring about such a result requires that most of us have to be infantilized - made childish - lifelong if possible. School has been the training laboratory for this project for between fifty and one hundred years, depending on the location. It is the most ambitious piece of social engineering in modern history, and has been a brilliant success in reaching its goals. Of course, these are hardly the goals of ordinary citizens, of families, of religions, or of cultures, but they most certainly are the goals of management, whether of business, army, or government.
Now, when it comes to education, we will have one overarching goal: to become the best-educated workforce in the nation. To do that, we will give our children the tools they need to be successful in the classroom and in the 21st century economy.Governor Granholm then went on to applaud our state education officials for creating a core curriculum that will facilitate that goal. That is Gatto's determiner of a fourth purpose school. Track the location from which the school takes its orders. The further from the building that a decision is made the more it becomes a school designed for a purpose other than true education of the children. Its purpose is one where the needs of the state and its workforce trump those of the student. Are the needs of Microsoft, Coca-Cola, and General Motors the best way to determine what our children are taught?
I will in future posts talk about some of the other things from the conference. I encourage everyone to read the Underground History of American Education and gain a greater understanding of the quiet social revolution taking place right before our eyes. You may not agree with all he says but he will definitely get you thinking.
This "reform" has implications for our society as a whole. Those of us who homeschool will be affected by the educational structure that is required for a managed economy. Standarized testing is the oil that makes the engine of this type of economy run. The state needs compulsory schooling and testing is the ensure that all children are taught what they need to know to be a good citizen in the global economy managed by the state. (Note: Homeschooling is not desirable in in a managed economy. Just ask a German homeschooler Shiela Lange.)
A Good Life?
Governor Granholm in her speech defined a "good life" this way,
The foundation of a good life, of course, is a good-paying job.Governor Granholm spoke as if this statement is an obvious truth. That may be true for her but it isn't my definition of a good life. Is it yours?
I wish I could write more about this. But I have to get to the education of my children. We are starting World War II today. Germany and Hitler are the topics of this week's reading.
Read more around the web
Ann at A to Z of Homeschooling also has a nice round-up of essays written by Gatto.
Ann at A to Z of Homeschooling also has a nice round-up of essays written by Gatto.
The Hoover Institution has an overview of the implications of the decision by the Committee of Ten in an article called The Traditional High School by Jeffrey Muriel.)
Chris O'Donnell did a chapter review of The Underground History of American Education last summer.
Related Tags: homeschooling, public schools, education, John Taylor Gatto, compulsory education, stanardized testing, socialism
7 Comments and Trackbacks
posted by on Jan. 30, 2006 at 8:53 AM
Clearly, the Governor is one the greater examples of compulsory education in its finest hour - pushing to continue the cycle.
I wonder how long it will be before the US Dept of Ed begins pushing physical "tracking" like that we're fighting over at NoNAIS.org (you'll have to read both south of the gnat lines to get the latest)....I believe the conspiracy that Gatto speaks of - and it all falls into place if you know "where to look" and we are living the days.
Great post, Spunky. I know you must have truly enjoyed hearing them all speak - how exciting.
Have a great week,
Harriette
Edited by Harriette on Jan. 30, 2006 at 5:54 AM
posted by COD on Jan. 30, 2006 at 8:59 AM
I did a cliff notes treatment of Underground History of American Education at
Underground History of American Education
posted by COD on Jan. 30, 2006 at 9:41 AM
Please tell me that you just added that link to your article, and that I didn't miss it the first time. Because I'd feel really stupid about adding my comment when you had already made that point!
posted by spunkyhomeschool on Jan. 30, 2006 at 9:56 AM
I was still on the computer when you're comment came through. I saw the link and added it to the post. Some people might have missed the comment and I wanted those on blogger to know about it too. I appreciated the heads up.
Spunky
I hyperlinked it for you as well. That makes it easier for those that read the comment to click on it.
posted by sherrydhoneycutt on Jan. 30, 2006 at 12:02 PM
I certainly hope that the Govenor's thoughts on the "foundation of a good life" sit true only with the minority of citizens. I, apparently, must not have a good life, because I don't work. Silly me, I thought God and my family were MY foundation and what gave me a good life.
Sherry
posted by PatriciaWHunter on Jan. 30, 2006 at 1:06 PM
Great stuff here! Thanks for sharing this with us, Spunky. I am so jealous you had that opportunity to hear Gatto. I have not read his book, but will certainly do so now! ~ Patricia
posted by iluvtheland on Jan. 30, 2006 at 3:42 PM
I love hearing him speak, and had the pleasure of having a booth next to him at a convention once, so got to pick his brain during the slow times in the hall. He has so very many valid points. For those of you who have not read his book, please take the time and do so. It is so worthwhile, and there is so much in there that just blows you away.
As for your governor...it makes me sad to think that getting out there and earning a good living and having the perfect job is the be all and end all of life. I guess that puts me in a pretty worthless category.
My dad used to tell me I had "wasted" my education by not staying in the teaching profession, and that comment of his always hurt so badly. I wonder if this governor realizes how those words can hurt people who have not already dealt with the pain of hearing someone tell them they have wasted their life by not joining the workforce.
This was such a good post. I look forward to reading more about your weekend.
Kathy