Dumbing Us Down cover art

Dumbing Us Down

The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling

 Preview

Get 30 days of Premium Plus free

£8.99/month after 30-day free trial. Cancel monthly.
Try for £0.00
More purchase options
Buy Now for £11.99

Buy Now for £11.99

About this listen

Thirty years in New York City's public schools led John Gatto to the sad conclusion that compulsory schooling does little but teach young people to follow orders like cogs in an industrial machine. With over 100,000 copies in print since its original publication in 2002, this book is collection of essays and speeches and contains a description of the wide-spread impact of the book and Gatto's "guerrilla teaching".

About the author: John Gatto was a teacher in New York City's public schools for over 30 years and is a recipient of the New York State Teacher of the Year award. A much-sought after speaker on education throughout North America, his other books include Weapons of Mass Instruction: A Schoolteacher’s Journey through the Dark World of Compulsory Schooling, A Different Kind of Teacher, and The Underground History of American Education.

©2002 John Taylor Gatto (P)2012 Post Hypnotic Press, Inc 21st Century Americas Childhood Education Education Modern Social Sciences Sociology New York American Education
All stars
Most relevant
The "education" industry is the mental plague of the modern world. As it gets more protracted, more expensive and more centrally controlled, the bonsai people, who are it's product, become increasingly disinterested in learning anything important, and invincibly ignorant.

The proof is in the pudding. Schooling does not support individual education and becoming potent, competent, responsible adults, because it is designed to do the opposite!

Gatto doesn't confine himself to one "subject" but calls upon history, philosophy, religion, anthropology etc. to illustrate his thesis.

The most intelligent exposé of schooling.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
highly recommended reading for educators, parents, students and anyone with a capacity to think for themselves.

enlightening

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
A beautifully narrated and presented book. From a truly questioning mind with no agenda other than the genuine ambition to responsibly take his own role in schooling seriously and to care from a fundamental level. What a lovely man.

Something we all know deep in our hearts

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Brilliant, eye-opener, a must-read, everyone, especially parents and teachers, should read this book. It explains so much about society today.

The perfect title for the world today

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Just brilliant. Puts into words everything I've felt throughout my life but couldn't verbalise regarding the school system. It left me upset and angry about my own experience, but more determined than ever to give my children an entirely different life. A fantastically thought-provoking book.

Brilliant.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews