Term Paper on "Critique of Learning Power"

Term Paper 4 pages (1346 words) Sources: 7 Style: APA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Learning Power

American education has been under attack in various respects over the past century. In addition to the fact that education in the United States is still highly associated with class and cultural segregation, the latest critique is that American education tends to create conformist consumers who enter the working world to exacerbate rather than mitigate the economic and environmental problems the world faces. Indeed, school education particularly tends to teach children a uniform set of subjects in a uniform way for a uniform amount of time per day, week and year. The entire system is based upon conformity. In this way, the education system itself works together with the material presented in order to subconsciously and consciously train children the virtues of conformity for success in their future careers.

Writing with a focus on the Board of Education in Massachusetts, Horace Mann addresses the issue of education and its ideals for the community. This early document, written during 1848, demonstrates the seeds of today's education, particularly in terms of subject matter and premise. Mann for example refers to "Universal Education" in order to empower those from poor communities to enter a more competitive job market through their acquired knowledge. Mann sees this knowledge as the vehicle towards economic independence and well-being. While economic independence is a desirable goal, the assumption is that the only way out of poverty is through formal education.

The conformity proposed for such education becomes clear under the "Moral" and "Religious" education sections of Mann's document. For these, Mann suggests a Christian basis as the premise for all human morality. Indeed, he equates Christianity with religious morality in general, not acknowledging the existence of any other religions within the United States. Furthermore, he also appears to assume that children attending public schools will be of Christina orientation and would benefit most from being instructed in this way. Such conformity, according to the author, would best equip children for their future as competitors in the economic sector.

It is this conformity that John Taylor Gatto (2003) criticizes most severely in his writing. Whereas Mann appears to believe that conformity is the cornerstone of a peaceful and productive society, Gatto believes that this is a self-destructive tendency, particularly in the light of the current problems society faces. In order to solve these problems most effectively, critical thinking needs to apply; a trait that is strongly discouraged in schools.

According to Gatto, another fallacy promoted by the school system is that the concept of "success" is synonymous with schooling. Indeed, society tends to promote this idea by holding in highest esteem those with the highest college education. This is all part of the "true" purpose of schooling, which, according to the author, is to standardize society into an unoriginal and conformist mass. As such, mass consumerism is promoted and social and environmental problems are compounded to favor the rich rather than the poor that Mann felt compelled to "rescue" through mass education.

Instead of good citizens or people, and instead of helping people to be their best, schools crush what could be the best and most original in each citizen by providing them with a standardized textbook education. There are several examples to substantiate the criticism that schooling does little towards promoting or stimulating critical thinking, or indeed that it makes a significant contribution to education.

A notable example of conformity is Richard Rodriguez. The author is a Mexican-American man who has made a success of his school career, but paid the price of conformity. In order to attain success at school, Rodriguez found himself obliged to separate himself from his family life at home. He became more part of his school community than of his native community. The two could not exist side by side. Specifically, Rodriguez for example learned to speak without his native accent, and to use the same language as his teachers. Furthermore, he became part of the school community by learning to love the work presented to him at school. This process forced… READ MORE

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