Weapons of Mass Instruction, By John Taylor Gatto 

This book is absolutely 5 star.  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Gatto goes over the history of compulsory schooling and how it is specifically designed and intended to crush out of people their creativity, independence, and ability to judge for themselves.  This may seem unbelievable.  

Here are some examples. Why are children made to raise their hands before talking and only use the bathroom when given permission?  Why are they separated into classes of a single age when they may have more in common with those who are 5-10 years older/younger than them?  Why are children who can do complex math in their heads penalized because they got all the right answers but failed to show their work on their exams?  Why do schools spend hours and hours on standardized testing that is then meaningless to their futures?  Gatto states that Ivy League schools will admit more attractive students to their programs as they are already much more likely to be given preferential treatment in life and in their professions based solely on their appearance.  

If you are a home schooler or someone who already is skeptical of the standard school system in America, I think you will love Gatto’s book.  If you are like me and are a product of American Public Schools there are facts in this book that will probably piss you off.  

After reading this book, there is no way I would allow my kid to go into a standard American class room.  

A child of proper age and maturity can be taught to read in about 30-50 hours.  The average American school system is designed as a childcare solution, not a real workable educational system. 

This is my second time through this audiobook.  (I use the word listen and read interchangeably for audiobooks).  I will likely listen to it again, as it is full of knowledge and really a fascinating book.  

At the end of the book Gatto discusses the Bartleby Project, which is a protest against the standardized tests.  All a student needs to do to participate in this project is to write on their standardized  test form “My name is ——— and I prefer not to take this test” and then sit and not take the test.   You can read an article about it here:  https://www.huffpost.com/entry/rejecting-standardized-tests_b_822014

If I was a student again and I knew about this project, I would participate in the protest.  If even 10% of students refused to test, there would create a huge change in our school systems.  

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Thank you for reading! Let me know if the comments what you think of this book or author and if you have any suggestions for what I should read next.