Critical Analysis of John Taylor Gatto's Against School

Introduction

Most high school students eagerly anticipate the end of their school year because they feel exhausted by the seven long periods of classes, not to mention the monotony. John Taylor Gatto, a former New York State Teacher of the Year, wrote an article titled "Against School." Gatto criticizes the school system for its inability to meet students' expectations and for placing limits on their ability to learn. The students feel neglected, and the teachers feel helpless because they have to work with students who are not interested in the materials provided. Gatto discusses how U.S. high schools have been influenced by adopting the Prussian education system. According to Gatto, the purpose of high school is to control the student's mind to create a harmless and manageable society to benefit the government. That shouldn't be the purpose of schools, but I believe the author presents valid reasons why the government might want that. Therefore, education should serve to help all students open their minds to the unknown, strengthen their skills, explore choices for their future lives, and encourage their minds and hearts to learn new things. Gatto's recommendation for a better education system is not to have a rigid institution but to provide help to students who are in low-level classes and update the teachers' teaching methods so the government won’t take advantage of students who do poorly in schools.

Historical Context and Systemic Flaws

In fact, the author highlights James Bryant Conant's influence on the school system (Gatto, 2003, p. 36). Conant is responsible for integrating much of the Prussian education system into most public high schools, such as the lengthy school years and the grouping of thousands of students in the same high school (Gatto, 2003, p. 36). The Prussian system aimed to control individual talents to favor the government, undermining students' critical thinking by imposing their own standards to create a manageable society (Gatto, 2003, p. 36). Standardized tests leave students who didn’t score well in low-level classes. Gatto argues that the government's purpose is to assign a group of people to complete the mission of overseeing and controlling a society whose expectations are low so that the government can lead without being challenged or questioned. In this case, parents and teachers should work together to encourage every student to do their best and not let the government stifle their dreams and goals.

Alternative Paths to Education

Additionally, Gatto asserts that we don't need mandatory institutions like high schools to get a good education. He mentions presidents and scientists who didn't attend school but found ways to educate themselves (Gatto, 2003, p. 35). They didn't attend rigid institutions, yet they achieved success. For instance, when Thomas Edison started attending school, he was expelled because his teacher found him difficult to manage. He was able to self-educate and became a great inventor (Gatto, 2003, p. 35). I believe we can still use the school system to benefit students who might not become educated otherwise. Each student learns differently; some students learn more through visual learning styles, others through auditory, and others through kinesthetic methods. For this reason, students should have the opportunity to engage in various classroom settings to encourage them to learn and hopefully become better students.

The Impact of the Current System

Furthermore, Gatto points out the real purpose of the school system in his essay, which had a detrimental impact on one of my friend's lives. According to Gatto, "Schools are meant to tag the unfit—with poor grades, remedial placement, and other punishments" (Gatto, 2003). As an example, schools allow students with poor grades to pass the grade only by attending summer school. I have a friend whose dreams were shattered due to the system we currently have. Andrea's eleventh-grade year was very challenging for her because her mother passed away at the beginning of the school year. She struggled with depression, and after being in honor classes for the past three years, she began to struggle with her classes. When she reached twelfth grade, due to her low performance in her junior year, she was placed in medium-level classes. She felt discouraged and did only what was necessary to graduate. As a result, she lost her chance to get a scholarship to a university she had always dreamed of attending. I would like to ask the school board, why do they always wait until it's too late to bring attention to a student's poor grades instead of warning students at the start of their failing grades? The school system should focus on students like Andrea and provide emotional support to help them cope with their personal issues. Teachers should work with parents and specific students to give them a warning sign to help them get back on track as soon as the first failing grade appears.

The Consequences of Systemic Failures

The author also highlights that the school system prepares a large group of students who performed poorly academically to perform manual labor once they leave school (Gatto, 2003, p. 37). Gatto reveals that "School is meant to determine each student's proper social role. This is done by accumulating evidence mathematically and anecdotally on cumulative records" (Gatto, 2003, p. 36). Furthermore, students become affected by their test records, leading them to be placed in the lowest level of classes. These students leave school without a purpose, unable to find employment, or finding jobs that provide only low financial gain. They are unable to meet the requirements of a good steady job or apply for scholarships. Therefore, the school system should encourage and provide help to students who do poorly and have a poor academic record.

Recommendations for Improvement

Given these points, the school system should allow teachers to be more involved in the students' learning process and apply new techniques to engage students to participate, study, and focus in school. I completely understand that teachers must follow a syllabus to let their students pass. However, student lectures might spend more time mentoring students as individuals rather than instructing an entire class. Gatto believes that students should be allowed to focus on subjects they are interested in. Given these points, teachers would benefit from teaching a class focused on the material rather than managing students who are uninterested and disruptive.

Conclusion

To conclude, Gatto’s recommendations for a better education system shouldn’t be taken lightly because students do need help to progress from lower-level classes to higher ones, update teaching techniques to inspire students to learn, and not let the government exploit the system's weaknesses. I agree with everything Gatto mentions in his article, but I believe we do need schools for children who can’t be educated otherwise. It’s evident that the school system needs significant changes for the students' sake. New activities inside and outside the classroom and helping students learn in different settings can inspire them to become involved in learning. Parents and teachers play a crucial role in a child's life and future. Therefore, the purpose of the school should be to prepare individuals to become their best and to become an asset to society. They work together to create positive change within the institution. The school system should not only serve students intellectually but also instill morals within them.

References

• Gatto, J. T. (2003). Against School. Harper's Magazine.