Will, one again you are “dead on”. By the grace of God I homeschooled my three children the whole way. They are bright, creative, and unlike most of their peers. My son is brave enough to be a welder by trade, a theologian and an aspiring filmmaker… all to the confusion of the herd watching from inside their safe pens. My daughter graduated from her university with a 4.0, but cares nothing for accolades or paper degrees but instead longs to pour her knowledge into her children one day and spend every bit of her brain and physical power building a home and not a “career”. This makes the herd shake their head in disgust and say “what a waste”. But as a true rebel she pursues this dream and prays for the day she can inspire the “William Wallace” God has for her… these are the true “Bravehearts!”… the ones the world scowls at and outwardly despise but inwardly they long for the courage to be as they.
Abolish the schools and we will find an America full of strong minds and courageous dreams and brave hearts!
I am 100% for abolishing the education department. We had our kids in a private Christian school and we also homeschool them. I also come from a homeschool family and I can tell you one thing it’s night and day difference. Public school is nothing more than socialist indoctrination
Of course, I cannot change my childhood, but once I was past, maybe the 4th grade or 5th grade in public school, I was done with school and just "did my time". I loved learning (and still do to this day(!!)), but school bored me. I found out very early that you do not ask questions, but I did anyway, and I often wonder if my name was "tagged" as a "trouble maker" because I had so many questions.
We homeschooled our 10 children and I am SO thankful that we had the opportunity to do so!! There is no comparison to the "brightness" of a childs mind when they are not subjected to the system.
You are very insightful and a great writer; keep it up and don't stop.
I am a: Public High School Graduate, Class of 1983.
I'm a teacher at a classical Christian school, which (from what I know of public ed.) is worlds better than a public school - we are encouraged to make our classrooms homey, to take the kids outside, to open windows, to incorporate writing and music and art to every class period.
But as someone who was homeschooled from 1st through 12th grade, there is still so much that completely baffles me about the conventional learning environment. Why do we force the students to sit through 80-minute class periods and then assign them 30 minutes of homework for study hall? I just spent 80 minutes lecturing on something, so why do they need to go read about it? My heart hurts for my students, but especially the boys, who have mentioned in writing assignments that they feel numb, bored, and frustrated with their daily existence.
In short, yes, can we please abolish schools? I love teaching, but can I teach at a small one- or two-room school where I can send kids outside, where it feels less institutional? A small school where we can feed kids real food? (Can we ban instant ramen and pop tarts from school lunches?) Following a classical education model (which I do love) at a school large enough to require a conventional school structure (which I do not love) feels like we are aiming for goodness, truth, beauty, and virtue while using a broken, unhealthy scaffold. Expecting something excellent, wholesome, and true to come as a result of this conglomeration of conventional structures and classical ideals is naive and perhaps foolish.
I got very good grades in school. However, I was a constant pain in the ass. I constantly asked 'When will I ever use this?'
I was rewarded for my questioning with the 'bad report card comments.' Inattentive, disruptive, does not work up to ability......I mean I got As how much more was I supposed to do?
You are 100% correct. Only precious few teachers engaged my questions...most told me to sit down and shut up.
I carry this questioning spirit today in my profession of veterinary medicine. I don't always find the answers but I always ask....and this is not what is taught. You hit the nail on the head. Compliance is expected....and that is NOT learning.
As someone raised by a public school teacher, went to public school K-12, and is in school to become a teacher in public schools, I would hesitate to send my kids to a public school. Unless the school system is significantly reformed to encourage a true, classical education, it will continue to be an abject failure and deeply damage the vast majority of students who go through it. I was lucky enough to be in a gifted program in my public school, where the teachers were given significantly more autonomy to encourage natural student curiosity, but even that comes up short when compared to the education that students receive through homeschooling and classical education programs. As a future teacher, my desire is to enter the public school system as a missionary for Christ and an advocate for reform. I want to serve students by offering them a true education and going above and beyond to assist them in escaping the oppressive low expectations and monotony of the system.
When you become aware of the history of the Public School system and it’s roots in the progressive ideology of Horace Mann (Massachusetts State Board of Education) & John Dewey, “Father of Progressive Education” - you can start to discern unBiblical & socialistic principles in their philosophies. While Wikipedia touts Mann’s achievements as worthy & noble (school for all & taxes to pay for it) - it was the basis for the unfortunate “system” we see today gone awry.
John Dewey really incorporated Marxist ideology into his vision for progressive schools. He made the child & experience the center for truth & abandoned the God-centered, Biblically-based education of the majority of our Founding Fathers. He believed in the social gospel (basically salvation by good works & you are your own source of truth & progressive righteousness V the gospel of Jesus Christ which emphasizes the necessity of repentance & acknowledgement of personal sin & turning to Christ as the source of truth & redemption of the soul. Rousseau & Marxist ideology among others influenced his belief system.
It simple terms - it comes down to either one progresses to save oneself thru various means of education, experience, self-awareness, etc without any acknowledgement of the soul’s need for divine intervention & redemption or it is God-inspired truths & acknowledgement & acceptance of Biblical-based truths.
We now see the rotten fruits of Dewey of over 100 years of progressivism in the (Horace Mann) tax-payer funded, public educational “system”.
Thank you, Will! This is wonderful and wise. I was homeschooled my entire life, and I could not agree more. I love your point about atrocities being the product of obedience and not rebellion. Rebellion is a virtue, as long as it is not rebellion against Christ. We need more rebellion! We live right next to a trade school and we can always hear when the teenage boys get out of mechanic class, because they are making lots of noise and revving their engines . While this can be obnoxious, it actually brings me joy because I can see their little streak of masculine rebellion shining through. I know that their masculinity and rebellion can be molded into something great!
Thank you for sharing truth and wisdom that will help change the world and conform it to Christ’s Kingdom!
You know, it's amazing how many freedoms and creativity are given up over the years between school and work. What's more, if you aren't constantly making yourself aware of whats happening, your mind normalizes it. Everything you said about the schools, is right. Most people though just accept it, saying 'that's just how it is.'
I was reading 'None dare call it conspiracy' and America came to accept taxes as a 'that's just how it is,' thing. Even though at the same time most of us feel there's something off about it.
I am reminded of the quote, 'If you sacrifice freedom for security, you end up with neither.'
All of it, stems from schools and teaching kids at an early age, as you said, to make them compliant, obedient, servants. In my sons school, they're big on kids being rewarded for reporting other kids.
I think for me, the hard part is finding that line between being respectful and mindlessly obedient. I tell my kids to respect those older than them, to listen when they're teaching--but yeah, I don't want them turning their critical thinking off.
The 'system' says they support families, but aside from church nothing actually promotes having families, especially ones with more than 1-2 kids.
I'd prefer to homeschool, but my wife and I have to work. We don't travel, my car is almost 20 years old, we don't eat out....we have sufficient for our means, but thats only because we both work.
If we could go back to a one income per household type of system...there would be zero reason to have schools.
But thats another topic.
Will, how would homeschools be set up? I mean, I thought if I were to do it, Id teach topics I enjoy (north american wildlife and medieval history, archery, longsword), basic reading and story writing, how to use all electronics, how to be safe online, how to balance money/save/finances, how to be self sufficient, and American history. And a martial art.
Curious to hear what others teach and how they structure the day.
Well said! My wife and I are Classical Archaeologists, but we stopped spending 3 months each hear in the Mediterranean when our first child came along. I'm proud to say that we homeschooled our three children: they never set foot in a traditional classroom until they went to college, and all of them graduated with honors! We founded The Lukeion Project to help other homeschool parents with Classical education. Throughout the lockdowns a lot of public school families started coming to us, and the difference between public school students and homeschooled students was profound. The homeschooled students were much better prepared to hand the work and the deadlines. The difference was like night and day!
I like the remedy you suggest to "despite what system you were brought up under, do your own thinking and impose your own tests on yourself." Thank again Will for a great article!
Will, one again you are “dead on”. By the grace of God I homeschooled my three children the whole way. They are bright, creative, and unlike most of their peers. My son is brave enough to be a welder by trade, a theologian and an aspiring filmmaker… all to the confusion of the herd watching from inside their safe pens. My daughter graduated from her university with a 4.0, but cares nothing for accolades or paper degrees but instead longs to pour her knowledge into her children one day and spend every bit of her brain and physical power building a home and not a “career”. This makes the herd shake their head in disgust and say “what a waste”. But as a true rebel she pursues this dream and prays for the day she can inspire the “William Wallace” God has for her… these are the true “Bravehearts!”… the ones the world scowls at and outwardly despise but inwardly they long for the courage to be as they.
Abolish the schools and we will find an America full of strong minds and courageous dreams and brave hearts!
I am 100% for abolishing the education department. We had our kids in a private Christian school and we also homeschool them. I also come from a homeschool family and I can tell you one thing it’s night and day difference. Public school is nothing more than socialist indoctrination
Of course, I cannot change my childhood, but once I was past, maybe the 4th grade or 5th grade in public school, I was done with school and just "did my time". I loved learning (and still do to this day(!!)), but school bored me. I found out very early that you do not ask questions, but I did anyway, and I often wonder if my name was "tagged" as a "trouble maker" because I had so many questions.
We homeschooled our 10 children and I am SO thankful that we had the opportunity to do so!! There is no comparison to the "brightness" of a childs mind when they are not subjected to the system.
You are very insightful and a great writer; keep it up and don't stop.
I am a: Public High School Graduate, Class of 1983.
I discovered that I loved learning when I researched stuff myself. Here’s to creating opportunities for discovery!
I'm a teacher at a classical Christian school, which (from what I know of public ed.) is worlds better than a public school - we are encouraged to make our classrooms homey, to take the kids outside, to open windows, to incorporate writing and music and art to every class period.
But as someone who was homeschooled from 1st through 12th grade, there is still so much that completely baffles me about the conventional learning environment. Why do we force the students to sit through 80-minute class periods and then assign them 30 minutes of homework for study hall? I just spent 80 minutes lecturing on something, so why do they need to go read about it? My heart hurts for my students, but especially the boys, who have mentioned in writing assignments that they feel numb, bored, and frustrated with their daily existence.
In short, yes, can we please abolish schools? I love teaching, but can I teach at a small one- or two-room school where I can send kids outside, where it feels less institutional? A small school where we can feed kids real food? (Can we ban instant ramen and pop tarts from school lunches?) Following a classical education model (which I do love) at a school large enough to require a conventional school structure (which I do not love) feels like we are aiming for goodness, truth, beauty, and virtue while using a broken, unhealthy scaffold. Expecting something excellent, wholesome, and true to come as a result of this conglomeration of conventional structures and classical ideals is naive and perhaps foolish.
I got very good grades in school. However, I was a constant pain in the ass. I constantly asked 'When will I ever use this?'
I was rewarded for my questioning with the 'bad report card comments.' Inattentive, disruptive, does not work up to ability......I mean I got As how much more was I supposed to do?
You are 100% correct. Only precious few teachers engaged my questions...most told me to sit down and shut up.
I carry this questioning spirit today in my profession of veterinary medicine. I don't always find the answers but I always ask....and this is not what is taught. You hit the nail on the head. Compliance is expected....and that is NOT learning.
As someone raised by a public school teacher, went to public school K-12, and is in school to become a teacher in public schools, I would hesitate to send my kids to a public school. Unless the school system is significantly reformed to encourage a true, classical education, it will continue to be an abject failure and deeply damage the vast majority of students who go through it. I was lucky enough to be in a gifted program in my public school, where the teachers were given significantly more autonomy to encourage natural student curiosity, but even that comes up short when compared to the education that students receive through homeschooling and classical education programs. As a future teacher, my desire is to enter the public school system as a missionary for Christ and an advocate for reform. I want to serve students by offering them a true education and going above and beyond to assist them in escaping the oppressive low expectations and monotony of the system.
When you become aware of the history of the Public School system and it’s roots in the progressive ideology of Horace Mann (Massachusetts State Board of Education) & John Dewey, “Father of Progressive Education” - you can start to discern unBiblical & socialistic principles in their philosophies. While Wikipedia touts Mann’s achievements as worthy & noble (school for all & taxes to pay for it) - it was the basis for the unfortunate “system” we see today gone awry.
John Dewey really incorporated Marxist ideology into his vision for progressive schools. He made the child & experience the center for truth & abandoned the God-centered, Biblically-based education of the majority of our Founding Fathers. He believed in the social gospel (basically salvation by good works & you are your own source of truth & progressive righteousness V the gospel of Jesus Christ which emphasizes the necessity of repentance & acknowledgement of personal sin & turning to Christ as the source of truth & redemption of the soul. Rousseau & Marxist ideology among others influenced his belief system.
It simple terms - it comes down to either one progresses to save oneself thru various means of education, experience, self-awareness, etc without any acknowledgement of the soul’s need for divine intervention & redemption or it is God-inspired truths & acknowledgement & acceptance of Biblical-based truths.
We now see the rotten fruits of Dewey of over 100 years of progressivism in the (Horace Mann) tax-payer funded, public educational “system”.
Creativity probably needs mentorship, not classroom time.
Thank you, Will! This is wonderful and wise. I was homeschooled my entire life, and I could not agree more. I love your point about atrocities being the product of obedience and not rebellion. Rebellion is a virtue, as long as it is not rebellion against Christ. We need more rebellion! We live right next to a trade school and we can always hear when the teenage boys get out of mechanic class, because they are making lots of noise and revving their engines . While this can be obnoxious, it actually brings me joy because I can see their little streak of masculine rebellion shining through. I know that their masculinity and rebellion can be molded into something great!
Thank you for sharing truth and wisdom that will help change the world and conform it to Christ’s Kingdom!
You know, it's amazing how many freedoms and creativity are given up over the years between school and work. What's more, if you aren't constantly making yourself aware of whats happening, your mind normalizes it. Everything you said about the schools, is right. Most people though just accept it, saying 'that's just how it is.'
I was reading 'None dare call it conspiracy' and America came to accept taxes as a 'that's just how it is,' thing. Even though at the same time most of us feel there's something off about it.
I am reminded of the quote, 'If you sacrifice freedom for security, you end up with neither.'
All of it, stems from schools and teaching kids at an early age, as you said, to make them compliant, obedient, servants. In my sons school, they're big on kids being rewarded for reporting other kids.
I think for me, the hard part is finding that line between being respectful and mindlessly obedient. I tell my kids to respect those older than them, to listen when they're teaching--but yeah, I don't want them turning their critical thinking off.
The 'system' says they support families, but aside from church nothing actually promotes having families, especially ones with more than 1-2 kids.
I'd prefer to homeschool, but my wife and I have to work. We don't travel, my car is almost 20 years old, we don't eat out....we have sufficient for our means, but thats only because we both work.
If we could go back to a one income per household type of system...there would be zero reason to have schools.
But thats another topic.
Will, how would homeschools be set up? I mean, I thought if I were to do it, Id teach topics I enjoy (north american wildlife and medieval history, archery, longsword), basic reading and story writing, how to use all electronics, how to be safe online, how to balance money/save/finances, how to be self sufficient, and American history. And a martial art.
Curious to hear what others teach and how they structure the day.
Well said! My wife and I are Classical Archaeologists, but we stopped spending 3 months each hear in the Mediterranean when our first child came along. I'm proud to say that we homeschooled our three children: they never set foot in a traditional classroom until they went to college, and all of them graduated with honors! We founded The Lukeion Project to help other homeschool parents with Classical education. Throughout the lockdowns a lot of public school families started coming to us, and the difference between public school students and homeschooled students was profound. The homeschooled students were much better prepared to hand the work and the deadlines. The difference was like night and day!
Well done! I 100% agree.
I was homeschooled, and I'm planning on homeschooling my future children ❤
I like the remedy you suggest to "despite what system you were brought up under, do your own thinking and impose your own tests on yourself." Thank again Will for a great article!