John Gatto Against School Summary

In “Against School” by John Gatto, he argues that the modern schooling system of America is slowly but surely corrupting the minds of the country’s children. While many of the ideas he states are correct and accurate, many individual arguments he uses tend to stray away from the original topic. As the article goes on, the author uses sensitive words relating to the topic to attempt to reach us emotionally through the writing.

At the start of his article, Gatto explains his career in education. He begins by saying where he has taught, and how he is a thirty-year teacher. He then goes on to explain the factor of boredom, and how it affects not only students, but also teachers. It is a common factor within most if not all people, which causes lack of concentration, and apathy. Gatto tells us how his grandfather used to tell him to never even bring up the idea of boredom, and if he was bored than it was his own fault and only he can fix his own boredom. The author then links boredom to low energy, and brings up how most of his students would often claim to be bored because they already know the subject, and find it stupid to be going over it so much. The students seem to only care about grades and not actually learning the material.

The author then goes on to compare our modern schooling with the Prussian culture.

The Prussian culture was designed to a country’s population with average intelligence, and no free-thinking among its citizens. Gatto then explains how students today commonly see school and success as the same principle, as if attending America’s schooling is the only way to become successful. He gives the example of the United States founding fathers, and how they never went through a twelve-year schooling program and were still extremely intellectual people. He gives the example of the United States founding fathers, and how they never went through a twelve-year schooling program and were still extremely intellectual

people.
Gatto introduces in his article Alexander Inglis, a man who has his six basic functions of modern schooling. These basic functions state that schools today; are training us to become more alike, and function in the same way. It teaches kids to react to appointed authorities in a uniform way. School is no longer about teaching kids how to be their personal best, but only to get as far as they need to in a certain area, and no further. It is slowly making it to where everything is decided for us and everyone will have an appointed position in this world, and no one will get to choose for him or herself.
In conclusion Gatto states that our society is turning our children into a type of addict. That they are turning into people who are easily persuaded into buying something or believing in something just because society tells us to. That school turns students into robots who follow specific commands and instructions. However, he then provides a resolution to this, in which he states that once we truly understand how schools actually function, and why, that we can easily avoid this “trap” that is school.

In the first paragraph, Gatto uses boredom to weigh in as a factor on how school is ruining the younger generation. While this can be true to some, it is not true to all. Gatto states that boredom is a factor in every student around the country, even though he has only worked in schools in Manhattan. There are children who actually find school fun, and enjoy getting to learn. While a large number of students do get bored, it does not apply to all. Also, Gatto states, using his grandfather’s example, that boredom is always the person’s who is bored fault, and can in no way be the instructor’s fault. This is false because there is such thing as a bad teacher. If a teacher makes little or no attempt to make the lesson as least dry as possible, the student will obviously have no motivation to try to do anything other than get good grades and just make it through the class to get it over with.

Another way Gatto tries to argue his point, is showing that people are starting to think that you cannot be successful without going through the twelve-year schooling program. While this can be false, it mostly is true. Without finishing school, a person can still be successful, but in this time that we live in, most careers require at least a high school diploma. Having a high school diploma can boost your income, get you a better job, and do so much more. Having a college degree makes it even better. So going through the nations required twelve-year program really is synonymous with success, because education, and degrees get you jobs in America, not just experience. This is proven by most corporate companies, who will fire someone who has had the job for decades, but does not have a degree, and then hire someone with no experience at all who has a degree.
His last argument states that school is really just turning the younger generation into mindless, robots that are being taught be consumers. That school is transforming students to be what they are told to be, and not to follow their dreams whatever they may be. This statement is completely false, while a few schools may promote to follow society. Almost all schools will promote kids to follow their dreams, and even will have classes or programs so that they can learn more about the dream career, and have better access to be able to follow their dreams. Students might be taught to be consumers, but it is not in a direct way. It is always through subliminal messages and advertisements.
So overall, while looking at Gatto’s article without deeply researching his sources, one might think he has a very valid point, and that schooling should not be a requirement. However, Gatto only shows it from his perspective, and his experience. While one thing may be true in a certain area of the country, it can be different somewhere else. Different schools have different students, teachers, curriculum, and even different ways of teaching. Each student has a different personality, and no two students will be the same. Some students get bored easily, while some find learning fun and interesting. People need to realize that education should be a requirement, and while maybe there are some schools that are changing how kids think, it will still help them be successful in life and follow their dreams, and become what they aspire to be.