What is the Purpose of Public Education in a Democracy?

It was very difficult for me to answer this question the first week of class without getting information from the readings for the week. I can now state without even looking at a text that the purpose of public education in a democracy is to help foster the mentality in everyone that we have to be inclusive citizens. My explanation for this is simple: There is no reason to discriminate or show hatred toward any individual that we come in contact with because we should be respectful to everyone. Our educational system is similar to any sales, management, or retail system, it is a dog-eat-dog world! This mentality has caused a lot of damage to the children who interact with these professionals. They learn an “exclusive” train of thought, which means that they learn how to categorize individuals and not interact with children who are not “similar” or in the same category.
Through my experiences in this course, I have realized that this mentality not only affects how children act in an educational setting but also how the educators interact. We cannot simply point fingers and state that a certain educator is not doing their job because we do not know the complete details or the “behind the scene” information. There are many educators who are treated in such a disrespectful manner by their authorities and then turn into the “I don’t care” professor who does not want anything to do with the children in the classroom. These educators are belittled at meetings or ignored when they have opinions on ways to improve the system. I have learned to view the educational as a full spectrum and not just through an ignorant and biased view point. I now believe that I will be a more efficient and successful educator because of my new definition of the purpose of public education in a democracy.

Self-Assessment

I think that this semester was the most challenging one that I have had throughout my college career but I still believe that I achieved a lot of good things throughout it. Looking back, I began college at the age of 17; dropped out 2 semesters in because I didn’t know what I wanted to do in life; went to community college 1 ½ years later and received my Associate’s Degree in Management at the age of 22; took another year and a half hiatus and then decided to pursue my Bachelor’s at Montclair State University. I am currently 25 years old and a father of two beautiful children. My belief before taking this course was that I had to work and support my children by following the systematic approach to the world. I quickly realized that this mentality would not get me anywhere and am thankful for the chance to endure the challenges of this course.
I believe that I stood up to the challenges of reading, understanding, and analyzing all of the material that was presented throughout the semester. Some of the readings were very intense but I felt a type of reward when I went to class and learned deeper knowledge from the information in the readings that I attained. The time spent at Arts High School was also a great eye opening experience. This was my first time student teaching and I was able to see the entire spectrum of the educational system (i.e., administration, student/teacher interaction, lesson plans). The inquiry project was a great jump-start for future projects that I was planning on working on. My plan (which has actually already begun) is to create a non-profit organization that will bring Arts programs to the children of Jersey City while at the same time building their character and exposing them to a more positive lifestyle and new visions of life. I was motivated by this class because it made me realize the different point-of-view’s that there are for each and every topic. I also learned to be a more justice-oriented citizen and get up and active in my community. Overall, I believe that I have a stronger character because of this class and am glad that I took it very seriously.

What am I learning from my Inquiry Project?

Here are some excerpts from my Research Project so that you can get a taste of how much I am learning. Hope you enjoy it and any feedback will be appreciated:

* What programs are available, in your city, to help you out with an array of problems (i.e., financial, relationship, educational)? What organization can you turn to when you feel that you are at the end of your line? When you sit down and think about these questions, you realize that the answers to these questions are very difficult to find. Not all cities proudly promote the services that are available to support everyone in their community. Through my research and interviews, I have realized that community-based organizations have strong ties with the communities and actually support the individuals by giving them assistance and teaching them various skills needed to be successful in the future. For instance, there are various programs which take an active role in changing things that are negatively affecting the community; community based participatory research (CBPR) “involves the systematic inquiry, with the participation of those affected by the issue being studied, for the purposes of education and taking action or effecting social change” (Victoria Breckwich Vasquez, 2006).

* After-school programs are defined as safe, structured activities that convene regularly in the hours after school and offer activities to help children learn new skills, and develop into responsible adults. It has been stated that approximately “6 million of the 54 million K-8 children in the United States participate in after-school programs that are school based or community sponsored” (Kanter, 2001). In general, that leaves a large percentage of the children between the ages of 5 and 14 without any type of support or supervision. These programs can assist children in many areas of life that go far beyond the inner sanctuary of the school building because “child and youth development is influenced not only by families and school, but by an endless variety of community organizations” (Paul W. Speer, 2002).

* There are also programs available where students are given a formal education similar to the education that is taught in schools. The only difference is that the program actually gets the children involved in their surrounding communities while ensuring that they learn a particular lesson at the same time. These types of programs use a method called experiential learning to ensure that the children understand the message and lesson that is being presented to them. Experiential learning is known as “an approach to learning that encompasses service-learning and is a term used to describe learning undertaken by students who are given a chance to acquire and apply knowledge and skills in an immediate and relevant setting” (Suzanne B. Cashman, 2008). This is a great form of education because the students get a hands-on approach to the lesson they are learning and are able to see its true effects on their own community.

Inquiry Project Intro

“What community-based programs are available to educate the surrounding community?”

What programs are available, in your city, to help you out with an array of problems (i.e., financial, relationship, educational)? What organization can you turn to when you feel that you are at the end of your line? When you sit down and think about these questions, you realize that the answers to these questions are very difficult to find. Not all cities proudly promote the services that are available to support everyone in their community. Through my research and interviews, I have realized that community-based organizations have strong ties with the communities and actually support the individuals by giving them assistance and teaching them various skills needed to be successful in the future. For instance, there are various programs which take an active role in changing things that are negatively affecting the community; community based participatory research (CBPR) “involves the systematic inquiry, with the participation of those affected by the issue being studied, for the purposes of education and taking action or effecting social change” (Victoria Breckwich Vasquez, 2006) There are various programs available that can support the youth in the community by teaching them various skills. These programs promote an interest and respect for authority and knowledge in the children that cannot be matched by interactions that many of them will have outside of a professional or educational setting. An article that spoke about after-school programs stated that the programs “promoted the formation of strong, positive relationships between the participants, and between participants and the adult staff, many of whom were teachers” (Sarah Barr, 2006). During my time working for a community-based organization, I have realized that everyone needs support in any way, shape, or form that it is available, especially during these difficult socio-economical signs. That is why I feel the need to educate myself and others on the various types of programs available to everyone through community-based organizations. This education will also assist in the creation of a community-based organization that I have planned to support the youth in the urban community of Jersey City.

Community Service/Meetings

The community service that was performed at Arts High really gave me some personal information regarding the various different functions that occur within the different areas of the High School.  I began my community service by organizing the files of various students in the guidance office.  I was organizing the files by the year that the student took the HSPA exam.  As I skimmed through some of the files, I saw that some of the students had to take the exam more than once in order to pass it.  I personally do not believe that these standardized tests are pertinent information as it pertains to the future success of the students; but it was interesting to get a first hand glance of these scores.  The next day I helped Mr. Waldron (Athletic Director for Arts) by being a referee in the Junior/Senior Basketball Tournament that took place in the gymnasium.  This was a great experience because I was able to witness how the students interacted with each other and the administrators.  You were able to see the different types of students and the groups that they were a part of.  For instance, there was the group of arrogant students who acted like they knew it all; or the dance major students who did not participate in the game but were cheering everyone else on.  I loved this experience because I was able to interact with actual students and realized that I can control them if they get out of hand.  This is mainly because I can relate with their experiences and this allowed me to get some sort of respect from them.  It was very interesting to see that Mr. Waldron was able to run such a great tournament and control the large number of students with only one other member of the Arts High faculty helping him.

 As for the meetings, it was interesting to view the different aspects that go into running a Department within a High School.  The only problem with the Department Meeting that I attended was that there is not a Department Chairperson available at this point in time.  For the time being, there is an Interim Chairperson overseeing the Physical Education department.  As an unbiased observer, it seemed that there were many points of conflict within the Department and that there was some restructuring and organizing going on.  It was great to see a different perspective of the teaching experience because I was able to see how many different activities (i.e., grading, scheduling, and collaborating) a teacher has to take part in.  This proved that teacher’s job does not end when the bell rings because there is more to teaching then lesson plans and administering tests.  The final meeting that I attended was a meeting of the Athletic Department.  I enjoyed attending this meeting because I would like to become a coach in the future.  This meeting helped me realize that sports and academics go hand in hand.  There have been many changes that make this possible and I viewed it first hand at Arts High.  A student did not want to participate in gym class and because of this he was unable to participate in the School’s baseball game that was taking place after school.  These meetings gave me different perspectives from both sides of the school (athletics and academics) and I am very thankful and appreciative for it.     

Inquiry Project Details

My inquiry project deals with the affect of community-based organizations and the future success of young adults in Urban communities. I am focusing towards how these organizations can create programs that lead to the future educational success of the students. I have researched this topic and found that these organizations can have a positive influence on the young adults in these communities. There are various programs developed by these organizations that can stop some of the negative influences within the community. These behaviors, known as “at risk” behaviors, can lead to students becoming less focused on their current education; therefore leading to more students dropping out and not leading a successful life. These programs are also seen as a way to promote an education for these students after high school. They take away the “ghetto” mentality and show them that they can achieve great things as long as they stay on the correct path.
This topic touched close to home because I am from an urban community and am currently working with a community-based organization that had various programs to keep the young adults of the area focused on going to college and making something out of their lives. I will use various forms of data to come up with a conclusion and somewhat definitive answer to the question I have posed. One form of data would be my past experiences with this and various other community-based organizations that I was a part of as a child. Another form of data would be all of the journal articles that I have through Google Scholar and the JTSOR database. These articles give me actual data from tests that have been performed to find the impact of the programs created by community-based organizations. Most of them show the positive influences that are give by the programs. I will also use my current job with a community-based organization to provide more facts and information into the business and political processes that have to occur in order to create and get funding for a successful program. Finally, I will try to get in contact with administrators and city officials from Newark to find out which programs are currently offerred in the area that are on the future success of the young adults of Newark. Some of the questions may be: How does the government help the community-based organizations fund these programs? Do you believe that these programs are successful? If not, what would you do differently to improve it? In the end, I believe that the information attained from this project will help me get a great deal of research done for when I begin the process of developing my own programs to assist children/young adults in the urban communities.

NCLB Act Strengths and Weaknesses

I can honestly state that I believe the No Child Left Behind Act does not work at all.  During the last class, I found out that many of the individuals in my group completely agreed with my stance on the Act.  There are some areas of the Act that can work once some modifications are done to it.  For example, it is very important to identify the schools that are in need of improvement, but standardized tests are not the best way to identify them.  Standardized tests are actually one of the biggest weaknesses that make this Act hated by most of the educators in America.  The Department of Education should get together and find a new way to identify these schools in need of assistance.  I also agree that it is important for the State and District to devote “additional attention and resources including funds for supplemental services” to help improve student achievement.  This should be worked on more intensely because there are many schools that are not getting the proper funding to create programs that can improve the success of the students.  It is also very important for the government to understand that they should assist in paying for the tutoring of children with low performance levels.  The schools and teachers are wrongfully accused for the low performance of these students but they are not given government assistance to increase it.  Finally, one of the strengths of the Act that actually hits close to home is the ability to provide an equal educational opportunity for low-income students.  I personally understand the truth between the discrepancies in the educational programs between low-income, middle-income, and high-income neighborhoods.  Something that ties closely to that portion of the Act its request to close the achievement gaps between these groups of students.  Like I stated before, the only way to do this is to minimize the discrepancies between various economic classes.  Hopefully President Obama and his Department of Education will work diligently to fix the poorly organized NCLB Act.         

Observation at Arts High School

I witnessed a completely different perspective of the education process during my observation at Arts High School.  I shadowed Mr. Brogdan for the day and was able to view how a teacher coordinates Physical Education classes.  I actually began to understand what a teacher has to go through on a daily basis.  The class is actually split up into three different portions; 10 minutes are dedicated to the time it takes for the students to change clothes (5 before class, 5 after class), 30-35 minutes are dedicated to stretching and warm up activities, and 40 minutes are dedicated to various activities (tennis, basketball, badminton, etc.).  The class begins by taking attendance and ensuring that all students are getting changed into their gym clothes and ready within the first five minutes of the period.  Any student that does not dress up for class has to go to the library, read a chapter from the textbook (“Physical Education and Activities”), define the vocabulary, and answer the four questions at the end of the chapter.  Once all of that is determined, the students have to run five laps around half of the gym floor to get a full passing grade for the day.  This would be followed by a two lap squatted run exercise where the students are graded for their ability to complete the run while being in a squatted position the entire time.  The students would then get five pound dumbbells and do various stretching activities that are also graded; 50% for attempting the stretches, 100% for attaining certain time limits during the stretches (holding a certain position for 1 minute).  In the final section of the class, the students are taught the basics about various sports and are allowed to play the sports that are occurring during the certain cycle (i.e., Cycle 3 is dedicated to Badminton and Basketball).  The students are graded on their participation in the activities. 

Mr. Brogdan was respected by all of the students that attended the classes he had that day.  They understood what they had to do if they did not have clothes to change into.  The students who participated in class were ready on time and knew that they had to start as soon as he gave the signal or they would get a reduction in their grade for the day.  There were the typical one or two students in the class who tried to act tough but never disrespected the instructor.  The one part of the activities that I found interesting came during the various stretching activities that the students participated in.  The students were actually pushing themselves and everyone else to do the best that they could.  You heard comments like, “You could do it” and “It’s only one minute, it’s not as hard as you think.”  I just found this particularly interesting because it showed that Mr. Brogdan was a positive motivator and his students picked up on that behavior.  This shows me that he was creates a democratic environment between the students because he teaches them how to work together and motivate each other to get to a common goal that can be reached by everyone.  In conclusion, I think that this observation showed me that Physical Education class is not just a break from “regular” classes; it actually teaches great lessons that help students participate in our society.        

Annotated Bibliography

Leon Dappen, J. C. (2006). Urban and Nonurban Schools: Examination of a Statewide Student Mentoring Program. Urban Education , 151-168.

This article speaks about mentoring programs that were created by community organizations in order to erase a lot of the negative activities that were affecting students.  The researchers believe that urban school administrators should instill these programs in all schools.  These mentoring programs seem to positively affect the students who participate by minimizing their negative activities.  The article gave some relevant information about the effects of these programs on students.  It did state that the study does not show consistent proof of the effectiveness of these programs but I believe that it did give enough evidence to show that there is a significant amount of change made with them.  It also took into consideration the various other factors that affect the learning of students (social/economic status, etc.).  I believe that it has enough evidence in it to help me find a well-evaluated answer to my inquiry question.

What is the role of public education in creating citizens? What types of citizens do we need in this changing society?

When it comes to creating citizens, public education should focus on educating them on the democratic government that we are all a part of in the United States.  In the past, the educational system was focused on creating homogeneous citizens who were robotic and assimilated to follow the “American way.”  I actually believe that this type of system creates the idiotic citizens that Parker speaks about in his article that we read.  Schools are not focused on children learning how to think analytically and critically; they are more focused on the Three R’s and lesson’s based around some falsified information about our nation’s history.  I do not believe that public education should take this role because it takes away the individualization of our students and their ability to think rationally.  They can all follow and respect the “American way” without having to act them same, look the same, or think the same way.

I believe that we need a mixture of the participatory and justice-oriented type of citizen in this changing society.  There are too many individuals who are standing idle while the world around them continues to be controlled by the “people in power.”  For instance, President Obama won last year’s elections because of the unified power of many people who were tired of how this nation was being operated.  Many of these individuals who voted will now stand idle until there is another crisis that affects them so strongly that they feel their vote will make a difference.  I believe that we can create a nation of rational and analytical individuals by ensuring that everyone either participates in our democratic government or takes a stand for anything that they believe is wrong with it and try to make a change.

Citizenship Education

One of the readings for this week spoke about the way that schools should work towards creating not only intelligent individuals, but knowledgeable citizens as well.  I believe that this is a very important aspect of education as long as it does not try to mold the career paths that the students are aspiring for.  I cannot recollect any time during my educational life where I was told to understand my governmental policies or officials, analyze the laws or Constitution, or perform any type of community service to give back to the community.  I went to a Catholic grammar and high school and only remember History class being the “normal” and robotic type of classroom that is known as the traditional method of education.  I would have greatly appreciated having this opportunity because they would have opened up a new world to me that I feel was only found after I left that type of environment.

The schools in my neighborhood have changed, for the better, since the time that I graduated high school.  My brother is in sixth grade and advised me a couple of month’s back that he has to do 100 hours of community service in order to graduate from grammar school.  I really think that this is a great way for the students to experience how their community actually functions without being shielded from the “real world” around them.  The schools are preparing the students to be more involved in their communities while also being able to comprehend the operations of the United States government.  I believe that this is the best way to “wake up” our nation and get people to be more active and involved in their communities and, most importantly, their own lives.  

After going to Arts High School

I was honestly amazed by our visit to Arts High School.  I was very enthused and happy that I decided to change career paths and become an educator.  While speaking to the current teachers, I heard the positive approaches that these educators have towards their students.  It makes you realize that your attitude, as an educator, goes a long way towards positively or negatively motivating your students.  This really blew me away because it is the same attitude that I want to take with me into the classrooms.  I seriously did not believe that there were many inner city high school teachers who had that type of attitude towards their students.  The student guides also showcased this same attitude.  They were a great help in answering our questions which allowed us to see what types of teaching styles actually work and which ones did not have any affect at all.  They were very professional, mature and knowledgeable.  This blew me away because I don’t remember many of the senior students from my high school having such a good head on their shoulders and actually being prepared for their future.

After leaving Arts, I have a very optimistic outlook towards the future of this country, and world.  I come from the inner city and am so happy to see the positive energy that can come out of an inner city community.  It solidified my belief that there is no truth to the stereotypes that many people have towards the inner city youth.  There are so many young adults coming out prepared for, or already experiencing a successful career path.  This trip to Arts surpassed my expectations and made me very anxious to go back and enjoy some more learning experiences there.

Stop Being a Hypocrite!

I usually post writings on line that have to deal with motivation and spirituality but I am going to take this opportunity to “vent” on our society. When did we turn into a large conglomerate of hypocrites? I have become sick to my stomach with the news these past couple of days. Every single time I turn on this alleged “informational” show I have to hear these news anchors talk about the Michael Phelps “marijuana scandal.” I am not sick of the fact that this is the exclusive story that begins all the newscasts; I am sick of hearing these anchors, sports analysts, writers, talk about how it is “inappropriate behavior” and that he should “know that he is a role model for little kids.” I want to make one thing perfectly clear, YOU ARE ALL A BUNCH OF IGNORANT HYPOCRITES. I get so upset at the fact that many of these anchors or “analysts” talk down on celebrities or athletes when they get arrested or it becomes revealed that they use marijuana or drink alcohol. I say this because most of these individuals are probably doing the same, or more severe, things. These are the individuals who smoke weed or cigarettes and drink gallons of alcohol to “cope.” These are the individuals who snort coke lines like if there were no tomorrow. These are the individuals who verbally, physically, or emotionally abuse loved ones; these are the individuals who have psychological break downs; but then again, they are the ones criticizing Michael Phelps because of a photo that was taken in 2008! I mean seriously is there nothing of relevance to discuss in this world that everyone has to bash on Phelps and act as if they do not have any skeletons in their closet.

If there is anyone in this world that can talk unbiased about a subject such as drugs it would be me. I have never tried drugs and never plan on doing so. There is not enough time in the day for me to bother with doing it. I rarely drink (maybe twice a year) and when I do I only have one serving because I don’t drink to get wasted. Therefore, I believe that I could defend Phelps without anyone trying to say it is because I am about the same age as him and I enjoy the “high life.” This is not the reason that I am venting; I am venting because I will soon be an educator inside a classroom full of young children who will trust me and listen to my advice (hopefully). I do not want to be a hypocrite like these individuals because many kids see how their parents talk about the Phelps situation and then see them fight each other or abuse substances and think “Why should I believe anything they say?” At the same time, many of these young kids are already taking drugs and will become even more rebellious against society because they see the hypocrisy within it. Therefore, why am I going to bash them or Phelps because of their drug/alcohol use? The only thing that I can do is educate these individuals about the harms of those substances and try to minimize their risky behavior and hopefully stop it all together. This is the reason that I call the Phelps bashers ignorant hypocrites because they don’t understand the ways that their words and actions are negatively affecting our youth.

I am going to have to side with Lil’ Wayne (as much as you all will not want to) on a certain quote that he made that pertains to this situation. Many individuals are bashing on Phelps because he is “supposed to be a role model” but as Lil’ Wayne stated in an interview with Katie Couric: “I’m not an example for people on how to live their lives, and never in my life would I set out to be an example for people on how to live their lives. If you need an example on how to live, then you shouldn’t have been born!” Weezy is absolutely right and I agree with him 100%. Why is it that every celebrity or athlete has to take on the responsibility of being the “role model?” I believe it is because parents are scared of taking on such an important responsibility. That is why we see so many rebellious children who have horrible relationships with their families. First, a parent is supposed to be the role model for their child. They are supposed to set the example instead of waiting for another individual to set one for them. Second, society should spend less time trying to make children follow “role models” and spend more time letting them be individuals. I could not imagine telling my kids, “Hey you see that guy/girl on the TV? I want you to be just like him/her!” The parents, family members, or friends that do this are creating a world full of followers (who will succumb to peer pressure) and destroying the sense of individuality that will enable everyone to be an INDIVIDUAL! Let’s stop being hypocrites and starting being honest!

Awaiting the Beginning of the Journey!

   I believe that I have many assumptions about Newark that may not be completely true.  I have grown up in Jersey City my entire life and I understand the hardships of coming from a low-class, urban community; but I actually have not really liked being to Newark so much.  I believe it is due to the neighborhoods that I would be around when I would go to Newark.  I have not been around “good” neighborhoods in Newark and that is mostly where my assumptions come from.  I am used to seeing gang activity, drug dealers/addicts, and many other negative activities that would make an individual feel uneasy.  

   Many of these assumptions have gone away after learning about Arts High School and viewing their web site.  I am now very enthusiastic and anxious about my visit to this exquisite school.  They show me a different side of Newark that I ignorantly believed did not exist.  I guess that now I think back and I tell myself, “How could you think of Newark that way?  How do you feel about the fact that some individuals think of Jersey City in the same light?”  I guess this experience will show me the promise that I believe is within my city and will help me work harder towards getting children in my city a better opportunity to succeed in life.  This is similar to my answer to the question, “What is the relationship between schools and educating citizens?”  I believe that the schools should assist in erasing the ignorance of the citizens; at the same time, they both have to work in unison in order to create a prosperous and intelligent community.  

How can understanding demographics help us better understand teaching and learning?

I believe that understanding communities’ demographics is very helpful for us as educators.  Sometimes educators just pass of a student as a “lost cause” or someone who “will never learn.”  We have to look past these assumptions and stereotypes and take up the challenge of finding ways of teaching that will get through to these students.  The demographics allow us to take up this challenge and, at the same time, view different aspects of our students’ lives that are not always available by conversations with them or their parents.  For example, a student might come from a household that does not greatly care about education because both parents did not graduate from high school.  The student might not care about going to school and may be confrontational when you approach to have a conversation about it.  If you knew the demographics of his neighborhood, then you would probably see that a high percentage of adults dropped out of school.  This would help you take a different approach to teaching the student and allow you to try and enforce some enthusiasm towards his/her education.

Understanding demographics also assist us in building a lesson plan that will get relevant information across to the students.  Since I am a Health and Physical Education major, I would be very intrigued to look over the demographics in the community in order to teach subjects that are strongly affecting my students.  If I were to teach in Newark, in my Sexual Education class, my main focal point would be “AIDS Prevention” because Newark “has the highest AIDS caseload, at 8,021, of New Jersey cities” (Sidney, 2003).  Unfortunately Newark’s sexual education programs are funded by the governments Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage programs so it will difficult for me to properly educate students on the proper ways to prevent the spread of AIDS.  But it is still very important to understand the demographics of the community you teach in because you will be able to positively affect it by educating the students in topics that are currently affecting them and their community.         

What is the Purpose of School?

The purpose of the school is to educate children to be knowledgeable individuals who can properly participate in a democratic society.  To further elaborate, I am trying to state that its purpose should be to educate children in various fields of studies without the enforcement of standardized tests; allow them to strengthen their social skills through interactions with their peers and teachers; and by allowing them to follow their own interests instead of molding their interests into certain “trades.”  Students should be able to learn about various fields (math, science, and athletics) without feeling forced to learn everything, by a certain timeframe, in order to pass a standardized test.  I believe that the “No Child Left Behind Act” has negatively affected the true purpose of education.  Too much emphasis is placed on the standardized tests and not enough is placed on the actual knowledge that is attained by the students.  Too many Americans have believed every bit of information that has been given to them by the media and they have not taken time out to research the statistics that are always shown.  The media is trying to force the public to believe that students should pass more tests instead of learn everything being taught.  This is similar to the following quote from “The Mysterious Fall of the Nacirema,” where the media was trying to force the public to believe that the automobile was an important part of their lives: “We are relatively certain that a specially endowed and highly skilled group of educators was employed to keep the importance of these enclosed mobile devices constantly in the public eye” (pg. 5).    

Another purpose of the school is to teach the students how to socialize with everyone.  The best type of democratic society is one with individuals who will unite with their peers and work towards the common goal of their nation.  This cannot occur if individuals are fearful or envious of each other, because of negative experiences in the classroom (bullying, gossiping, or classification); or if they do not understand the importance of socialization and the benefits that come with it.  John Taylor Gatto made some good points in his essay, “Against School,” but he never emphasized the importance of socialization.  I agree with some of his statements against the school system: “School trains children to obey reflexively; teach your own to think critically and independently” (pg. 38).  The school should teach students to think critically and independently, but they should also balance that out with socialization.  This will teach students to respect all forms of education and it would erase the “exclusive” mentality (your beliefs are bad, only my beliefs are true) that affects so many people.

A final purpose of the school is to allow the students to follow their own personal interests and no force them to go into certain fields because “that is what is needed in the workforce.”  There are too many instances where students’ interests are shaped by the schools to fit the needs of society.  For example, there has been a commercial, by the New Jersey Education Association, playing for the past few weeks talking about the influence of teachers in New Jersey public schools.  In the commercial they state the great learning opportunities that the students had, but at the end it states: “New Jersey public schools do an excellent job preparing our students for today’s work force.”  This seems similar to the “differentiating function” that Gatto speaks about: “Once their social role has been ‘diagnosed,’ children are to be sorted by role and trained only so far as their destination in the social machine merits—and not one step further” (pg. 37).  I do not believe that society should “diagnose” the social role of each child because this will not give them the ability to become leaders or critical thinkers.  Once a student learns to think critically or independently, they will be able to find their own interests and positively affect society in that field.