Escape From the Institutional Straitjacket, Part 1

New York City Teacher of the Year Turns Against the System

John Taylor Gatto received the New York State Teacher of the Year award in 1990 and was named New York City Teacher of the Year in 1991. When the appointed evening arrived, Mr. Gatto appeared in the hotel ballroom before an audience of well-fed administrators and principals, and delivered his acceptance speech.

It was that night that he publicly turned on them like a mongrel dog.

“The only reason I received this award – the only reason I've been a great teacher for my students – is because I didn't do a single thing you told me to. I ignored your ‘standards,' I thwarted your bureaucracy and I taught unauthorized material. I filled out those forms that said the students were in their desks, when they were really taking horizon-expanding study trips. I had them read real books instead of those inane, dumbed-down textbooks of yours, I taught them real history instead of the porridge of revisionist pabulum you call 'social studies'.

“Your bureaucracy is a mill that grinds up human beings and turns them into consumer fertilizer for a planned economy. Human potential erodes as hungry minds sit in listless boredom, and teachers operate without the tools they need, just so you guys can fill your administration buildings with cushy jobs and give contracts to your cherished vendors.

“That's why most of our students can't read after 12 years of education – yes, even though it only takes 3 months to learn how to read. That's why most kids follow the herd into a bleak future instead of thinking for themselves.

“I am officially turning in my resignation as of today.”

Mr. Gatto wasn't exactly sure what he was going to do next, he just knew he could no longer be a part of the rapacious beast that is publicly funded education. Two months later, an article he forgot he'd written was published by the Wall Street Journal and within 24 hours he was on the lecture circuit, speaking to groups ranging from local education conferences to NASA.

I recently finished reading Gatto's book The Underground History of American Education, a strapping 8”x12,” 400-page text. As big as it is, it's so fascinating it's almost impossible to put down. It traces the forces behind compulsory education in America from the mid-1800's to the present, in all of its hideous complexity. This book was extremely insightful because I myself am an educator of entrepreneurs. I am in the education business.

And because you paid money to read this newsletter, so are you. Today we explore some of the things that business people seem to have a very hard time learning. You are going to undoubtedly relate to this, and this is going to be instrumental in your own business breakthrough.

Is School a Conspiracy?

As my story unfolds – and as more facts come to light – you're going to start to wonder if I think American education is a conspiracy. Let's answer that question right here and now.

Is American Education a conspiracy to dumb people down and produce obedient drones for an industrial economy?

I answer that question in the next installment.