Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2001 20:25:43 -0600
From: Sandi & Scott Spaeth <vespass-AT-swbell.net>
Subject: Re: Anarchist Mailing-Lists and Recent Popularity of Anarchism


At 08:33 PM 1/11/01 -0500, you wrote:
>I think you underestimate the importance of schools.  I seriously doubt the
>effectiveness and usefulness of secondary school(and if this is what youre
>talking about i agree), but primary school is a necessity.

Is it?  I haven't seen any evidence of this.

>   A child under 10
>years old would find it hard im sure to educate himself.

In what way?  Are there things everyone should know by 10 that are only to 
be found in schools?  Or better yet, are there any things found in schools 
that a person of 10 needs to know?  I can't think of any.

>  Sometimes both
>parents would work and couldnt find time to even spend time with their child
>let alone try to teach them to read or do simple arithmetic.  Primary school
>is probably more of a baby-sitting institution rather than a learning one.

Now you're talking about convenience (and not the child's convenience), not 
learning.

>It provides children with an opportunity to meet other children and enjoy
>themselves.

Know any primary school children?  I don't remember enjoying myself, it 
sounds like Jamal didn't enjoy himself, my son Ian most definitely didn't 
enjoy himself.  Where are all these sociable opportunities?

>   The main problem i have with conventional primary schools is the
>authoritarianism.

Authoritarianism is part and parcel of compulsory schooling.

>   ive worked with smaller children before and have
>emphasized discipline through cooperation and friendship rather than
>authority.  if all ed! ucation is authoritarian, is all learning 
>authoritarian?

You're making the mistake of confusing schooling with education.

>  education is just selective learning.  learning is human nature and i dont
>think authoritarianism is.

I agree.

>  .  i sincerely doubt any anarchist who is a
>teacher or would start an "anarchist school" would try to force anarchism
>down children's throats.  an anarchist('s) school would be one that would
>teach a child to think for his or herself.

It's not the teacher, it's the structure of the system.  Like I said at the 
beginning of this thread, you CAN run a school on anarchistic principles 
(although few would recognize it as a school), but you can't run an 
Anarchist school.

Where's Andy and Carp?  They're both teachers, and they may very well 
disagree with me, but I'd like to hear their points of view on the subject.

cheers,
scott
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