Schools are slaughterhouses of the young minds

[Guest guest]

The analysis of the problems of America style public education is quite

accurate. In fact, in my M.Ed. phase of my education, it was clearly

instilled in us future teachers that the system is "fundamentally

anti-intellectual."

That is why teaching is regarded by Paolo Friere as "the most subversive

occupation."

The system that worked for the early part of this century fails now because

the kind of person it is designed to produce is not needed in 21st century

society, and the kind of person who is needed is not prepared *by the

system* but *in spite of the system*.

The problem is inertia.

School reforms, such as multi-level classrooms, character/values based

curricula, work-study programs, dual enrollment programs, and charter

schools are attempts to build an infrastructure that does a better job of

preparing young people than the existing system. The government funds these

schools, trains the staff, and supports in other ways these experiments.

Sheldon Richman and his cohorts offer an accurate analysis but hopelessly

simplistic and ultra right wing solutions that will result in only the elite

getting any education at all.

YS

Bharatasrestha dasa