Jhon Gatto "Against School"

In the article against school, by JHON TAYLOR GATTO, he discusses his perspective of why he is against the school system and believes that its wrong. Being a teacher four thirty years made him believe that schools are not always what we think they are. The author thinks that schools most of the time only school the children and not educate. He believes that schools are not always the right place to receive an education.

The author comments that schools are meant to create our children in to people that are easy to manipulate by other people to create harm. He believes that the education many times does not come from an institution but from parents or from outside of the educational system. Gatto writes, “School trains children to be employees and consumers; teach your own to be leaders and adventurers. School trains children to be flexibly; teach your own to think critically and independently. Well-schooled kids have a low threshold for boredom; help your own to develop an inner life so they’ll never be bored (155). This means that most of time schools only train our children to follow a pattern or be followers and work for others. They are only training them at school to do one specific thing or do one job. When they are not in school, it’s the parents turn to educate their kids to learn what they didn’t get in school. To make them become good leader, I believe you have to explain to them, teach them, let them practice, and let them follow what you thought them. When they are not at home let them make small decisions, so they can see the result of their actions.

I agree with Gatto in some part of his argument, and like him also think that we can get educated outside of school. We can learn from older people or by being assigned to responsibilities at home to become more responsable. In my experience, I have to help pay rent. Every month I have to contribute to pay rent and have the money on time. When I started Cabrillo College, I found out that I would not qualify for any financial aid, and I would have to pay for everything. I decided that if I had to continue in higher education, I would have to pay everything by myself. After two years, I still continue paying everything by myself and continue in school. Every semester I have to figure out how to pay for all my classes and books. I have to do this on the first month of school because if I don’t do it I might not get in the classes for the next semester. This is hard because I only have a part time job, and sometimes I don’t earn enough money for school and rent. I know this a challenge, but it will help me to become a better person, and in the future I will be prepared for new obstacles to come. I didn’t learn everything from school. the person I am today--hard worker, respectful, and committed-- I learned from my family and friends around me.