Dumbing Us Down (25th Anniversary Edition)

The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling

By: John Taylor Gatto

Narrated by: Michael Puttonen, Adam Farnsworth

Throw off the shackles of formal schooling and embark upon a rich journey of self-directed, life-long learning

After over 100 years of mandatory schooling in the U.S., literacy rates have dropped, families are fragmented, learning "disabilities" are skyrocketing, and children and youth are increasingly disaffected. Thirty years of teaching in the public school system led John Taylor Gatto to the sad conclusion that compulsory governmental schooling is to blame, accomplishing little but to teach young people to follow orders like cogs in an industrial machine.

He became a fierce advocate of families and young people taking back education and learning, arguing that "genius is as common as dirt," but that conventional schooling is driving out the natural curiosity and problem-solving skills we're born with, replacing it with rule-following, fragmented time, and disillusionment.

Gatto's radical treatise on public education, a bestseller for 25 years, continues to bang the drum for an unshackling of children and learning from formal schooling. Now, in an ever-more-rapidly changing world with an explosion of alternative routes to learning, it's poised to continue to shake the world of institutional education for many more years.

Featuring a new foreword from Zachary Slayback, an Ivy League dropout and cofounder of tech start-up career foundry Praxis, this 25th anniversary edition will inspire new generations of parents and students to take control of learning and kickstart an empowered society of self-directed lifetime-learners.

©2017 John Taylor Gatto (P)2024 Post Hypnotic Press Inc.

One of the best books of our time!!

I have experienced every aspect of Gatto’s thought process in this book, although I had not included the aspect of community! This makes so much sense and tracks at every level. These ideas are not to be forgotten. Ever. Based in principal, I assume, it carries over in so many other aspects!

Provoke Critical Thinking Surrounding Education

I first heard about John Taylor Gatto a few years ago, as his writing was suggested to me when I was first exploring the idea of homeschooling. If you have never heard of Gatto before, he was a public school teacher in New York City for over 30 years and also won the New York State Teacher of the Year award in 1991 - an impressive resume. Upon listening to the 25th Anniversary Edition of Dumbing Us Down I found myself enthralled with the discussion set forth. Since starting my family's homeschooling journey, while subsequently witnessing the public school journey of friends and family, Gatto's ideas frequently come to mind (along with the movie Idiocracy). Dumbing Us Down brings light to the destruction our school system enacts on the minds and hearts of our children.

There are different themes tied into Dumbing Us Down, which include talks and speeches delivered by Gatto over the years. Part of this book is a telling of Gatto's coming of age along the Monongahela River in Pennsylvania and journey towards becoming a school teacher, first hand experiences with students as both a substitute teacher and teacher in New York, and history lessons related to our modern day school system. Most importantly, in my opinion, is the point that schooling was used as a way to break children away from their parents. From John Cotton in 1650 to Horace Mann in 1850, there have been efforts to entrust our children to the "professionals" who know better. Parents have been left to feel inadequate. Gatto's work aims to restore that trust in parents and families, showing an alternative to our failing school systems where we continue to see decreases in reading and math abilities every year.

My favorite point from Dumbing Us Down is the encouragement and importance of self-knowledge and subsequent self-teaching. Gatto points out how most childrens' hours are spent either in school or in front of the television (in 2024 I would also include all forms of technology like phones and tablets too). There is little room for self-knowledge and problem solving, as independent time has become non-existent. Without self-teaching we have adults that are aimless and need complete instruction. It always blows my mind to think that just over a century ago a 16 year old would have the current equivalent of a college education. Gatto really empowers readers to go outside of the current norms in pursuing knowledge while also emphasizing the important need for family and community investment.

I would recommend Dumbing Us Down to everyone - not just those looking for an alternative to traditional schooling. I think the ideas presented allow for critical thinking and questioning of our education system- skills that are essential in life. My hope would be that teachers and students alike could open their minds to asking, "is this really what's best?" I hope that the 25th anniversary of Dumbing Us Down can bring this book the attention that it deserves as we examine the future of our education system in the United States.

Hard Truths About Education Every Parent Should Hear

John Taylor Gatto fiercely defends the autonomy of our children, and he sugarcoats nothing. This is not a book for those looking for gentle persuasion; it delivers hard truths that can be difficult to digest but are absolutely necessary if we truly care about the future of education in the United States. Gatto challenges us to rethink everything we assume about schools, learning, and the rights of our children.

All parents should!

This should be read by every parent before allowed to attend a standardized Education of their children in the USA!

Digestible Powerhouse

I would recommend this book to anyone, especially if they have children. Great information in a short format.