Amazing Read: Underground History of American Education

[idrathernot]

I just finished reading The Underground History of American Education" by John Gatto. It really changed my fundamental view of Governme.... Public Education in America. I know it's something of a touchy subject as many of us (including myself) were fully educated by public institutions, send our children there, etc. If you don't like the book though, no trouble, it's free!

http://www.johntaylorgatto.com/underground/toc1.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So much of it is deeply though provoking. Consider this:

"Looking back, abundant data exist from states like Connecticut and Massachusetts to show that by 1840 the incidence of complex literacy in the United States was between 93 and 100 percent wherever such a thing mattered. According to the Connecticut census of 1840, only one citizen out of every 579 was illiterate and you probably don’t want to know, not really, what people in those days considered literate; it’s too embarrassing. Popular novels of the period give a clue: Last of the Mohicans, published in 1826, sold so well that a contemporary equivalent would have to move 10 million copies to match it. If you pick up an uncut version you find yourself in a dense thicket of philosophy, history, culture, manners, politics, geography, analysis of human motives and actions, all conveyed in data-rich periodic sentences so formidable only a determined and well-educated reader can handle it nowadays. Yet in 1818 we were a small-farm nation without colleges or universities to speak of. Could those simple folk have had more complex minds than our own?"

[surprise_i'm_armed]

In the 1800's, in the US, Shakespeare performances were quite
common in big cities and small towns.

I don't recall exactly where this happened (NYC maybe?) but there
were 2 competing actors who interpreted Shakespeare in different
fashions, and this resulted in street riots between the opposing
supporters!

Contemporary education does not seem to produce anything close
to what education of years past did. That's why home schooling has
become so much more popular.

SIA

[Paladin]

Excellent topic!

It's no secret what's going on in our public education system:

How Lack of Choice Cheats Our Kids Out of a Good Education

The system stinks. A friend of mine who is an excellent schoolteacher was critized by her peers and superiors after her students got top marks on standardized tests. You see my friend was making her coworkers look bad.

Honestly I don't think America's poor education system is an accident. The truth is that dumbed down masses are easier to control...

[marksiwel]

I dont know if what you are reading is, well, true.
Illiteracy was common in the South among Blacks and Poor whites. Also does that include Women? I can find you many civil war letters written by someone else FOR someone else. Also if you look at illiteracy rates in say France
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Illiteracy_france.png" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Are you saying that the French were THAT much more Illiterate than America?
Not to mention that the Rate did increase because of the influx of immigrants in the US.

Also in some countries/states/ Literacy was considered being able to sign your own name, at other times it was being able to Read and Write Latin, or repeating a Bible Passage (A case in Wales was they used the same passage for everyone, so people would just memorize that one)
Also being able to Read didnt mean you knew how to write!
So there were people who could read the bible and recite it to you, but couldnt write sentence to save their lives.

Now yes, those who were educated were VERY Educated by our standards (Did no one watch Deadwood?) but there were still many people who were not that lucky.
Unfortunately mass public education is going to bring some people down but it brings alot more people up.
It's shocking to find out how many people NEVER READ A BOOK, at all. Even if you are reading a Mindless Brad Thor Novel, or Stephen King cheese fest, you are bettering yourself, then again the Sarah Palin book was a best seller!

[stevie_d_64]

What is the literacy rate in this decade???

I bet we would all be shocked...

[marksiwel]

What is the literacy rate in this decade???

I bet we would all be shocked...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_co ... eracy_rate" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

We are pretty high up there

But as for READING Level, whew grabs your socks so they wont be blown off
http://www.informatics-review.com/FAQ/reading.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
*Just a few*
41.6% of American patients could not comprehend directions for taking medication on an empty stomach

26% were unable to understand information regarding when their next appointment was scheduled
*God tell me about that, I make appts all the time at my job, its like pulling teeth. "We will see you Monday the 20th at 1:30" "The 20th is that a Thursday?"
50.5% could not understand a standard informed consent form

I've read that the average American Reading level is that of 8th grade. This makes me sad, but I'm not surprised. Average age in UK is supposed to be 9th.

I would assume countries with multiple languages taught in public schools would have higher levels but I cant find anything, but then again most of the European countries that teach multiple languages have the highest reading levels.

I myself struggled with reading when I was younger, thank god for comics, I went from having a very low reading level in 2nd grade to having a 10th-11th grade level by 5th grade.

[Oldgringo]

I've read that the average American Reading level is that of 8th grade. This makes me sad, but I'm not surprised. Average age in UK is supposed to be 9th.

Listen to the talk/speech/diction, etc. If they can't read it....