Education in America

Hi, everbody! I apologize for my small absense... I've been online, but I haven't been feeling that well, and that makes me quite tired... Anyway...

A few days ago, Jean had a thought-provoking post on her blog about a young boy who made a hat with a small figurine of a soldier because he wanted to show patriotism -- the teacher told his parents that it was "unappropriate" and made him take it off... Jay responded with a quote by John Dewey that got me thinking: "Children who know how to think for themselves spoil the harmony of the collective society which is coming where everyone is interdependent." A website which posted this quote got some interesting comments on it:

This man, and his brainless, spineless acolytes did more to destroy American indpendence of mind than any other single person in our history. -- Dougmcr8, Springfield, VA Amen, Douggmcr8! I want Dewey to explain to me just why, in a nation that was founded on the premise of moral INDEPENDENCE, we should be concerned that our "collective society" isn't becoming "interdependent." The only thing history has ever witnessed in an "interdependent" society is Tyranny. -- Anonymous Probably wholly out of context! -- Waffler, Smith, Arkansas -- Anonymous, Reston, VA, US This is progressive education? More like regressive education. -- Anon Waffler never dissapoints. This quote is NOT out of context and is totally consistant with Deweys' beliefs. We wouldn't want people thinking for themselves, now would we. That would be dangerous to our socialist state. -- jim k, austin I thought these were suppose to be "LIBERTY" Quotes? -- Michelle, Chippewa Falls Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated. -- Bryan Morton, Stuart, Florida Michelle, these are liberty quotes. Dewey and his gang were not for liberty, only conformity. -- jim k, austin This from the architect of the US education system! It's even worse now. -- E Archer, NYC Dewey was a Marxist of the highest degree. I read a biography on him and he admired Stalin, of all people. Considering that little fact, and the condition of our public schools thanks to Dewey's influence, this statement does not surprise me at all. -- KrlyQ, Irving, TX I was going to try and rate this 100 times with 5 stars each because of the statement's accuracy. I decided to give it a thumbs down because of its application. Elimination of the independent freeman's free, higher, creative,and truly progressive thought by the collective is, and will be suffered far beyond today's heinous results. -- Mike, Norwalk Dewey decimal system. He apparently saw little difference between children and the books on a shelf. This man is responsible in large part for the present public school system. This is the perfect quote to explain how the public education professionals think. -- warren, olathe Wow! we all agree (with the quote that is) -- RBESRQ Spoken like a true progressive. It gives me hope that I didn't see rows of little yellow stars following the quote. -- Ken, Allyn, WA Typical Dewey garbage!!! It's frightening to know how much influence this man had and continues to have on public education. -- Nancy, Lancaster I quite agree. And combining compulsory education with centralised media ownership means that young minds will inevitably be corporate ones. -- Rupert Murdoch, New York Got a source for this "quote"? Of course not. People who READ what they QUOTE might become critical thinkers in the model Dewey proposed, rather than automatons of a conformist society. Don't believe everything you read. -- Hank Smith, Boston I think everyone needs to read Dewey and not form lazy judgments about his educational philosophy until they do. The books are nuanced, require some previous knowledge--and they will take you a while. Grab some tea (or Starbucks, depending upon your capitalistic sensibilities). Progressive education hasn't worked, 'tis true. That's because it has never been tried. The factory model is in full force--and entrenched by NCLB. This deeply embedded misunderstanding (revealed by the emotion on this board) does not make me angry; it makes me sad. Perhaps the consolidated media should indeed take the blame--for the gross misinformation and lack of understanding here. Shame. -- Anonymous, Dallas some of these responses are more telling of the failures of the education system than Dewey's proposed system itself. Are you basing your statements on just this one quick quote, or have most of you actually read any of Dewey's books? Uh, Dewey Decimal System? Sorry, wrong guy. -- Dallasisright, Cincinnati

I always knew that Dewey was wrong, and I found it quite amusing to read these responses. But it bothers me the naivety of some people -- that is, those who claim "You haven't read the whole of it, so how can you say that?" I wrote a reply (but have not yet published it) before I had seen what I will present below my response (which will prove my point about people's naivety): Did you know that Hitler said, "Give me control of the textbooks and I shall rule the world"? THAT is what Dewey is stating here. Those of you who think that, because we haven't read the rest of Dewey's writings, we are taking this quote out of context, need to remember that it is not in dispute that Dewey was a "socialist" of the highest degree. He stated this because he wanted to control the minds of children, and that is why he started the "progressive education system." But this is done because the socialists know that if you can control a child while he is very young, he will believe anything you teach him. They are taught not to think, but to "express" themselves (which really is an expression of what they were indoctrinated with -- they don't know anything different.). In contrast, the Christian religion teaches children to think for themselves, to be the best that they can be for God; and it is really quite freeing. The Founding Fathers knew this. Therefore they wrote: Benjamin Rush "Let the children who are sent to those schools be taught to read and write and above all, let both sexes be carefully instructed in the principles and obligations of the Christian religion. This is the most essential part of education” (Letters of Benjamin Rush, "To the citizens of Philadelphia: A Plan for Free Schools", March 28, 1787) Noah Webster “In my view, the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government ought to be instructed...No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people.” [Source: 1828, in the preface to his American Dictionary of the English Language] “The Bible was America’s basic textbook in all fields.” [Noah Webster. Our Christian Heritage p.5] “Education is useless without the Bible” [Noah Webster. Our Christian Heritage p.5 ] New England Primer: Used in public and private schools from 1690 to 1900 second only to the Bible (contents): A song of praise to God Prayers in Jesus’ name The famous Bible alphabet Shorter Catechism of faith in Christ George Washington “What students would learn in American schools above all is the religion of Jesus Christ.” [speech to the Delaware Indian Chiefs May 12, 1779] "To the distinguished character of patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian" [May 2, 1778, at Valley Forge]

(This is why Patriotism -- which includes religion -- in schools is also under attack these days; please see Jean's post linked to at the beginning of this post... For more information on the FF's beliefs, please see this post.) So here is the shocking reality -- and this is for all of you out there who think that Dewey was not a socialist -- of what Dewey taught (and what is still being propagated in schools in America to this day): As quoted on crossroad:

Psychology would provide the "scientific" tools for that transition. Dewey -- who equated individual thinking with insanity -- had begun experiments with behavioral psychology even before 1900. Half a century later, B.F. Skinner outlined the practical steps to behavioral control. "Operant conditioning shapes behavior as a sculptor shapes a lump of clay," he wrote in Science and Human Behavior (1953). His goal for the human "clay" was no secret. Five years earlier, he had exposed his vision of a reshaped humanity: "What was needed was a new conception of man, compatible with our scientific knowledge," he wrote in Walden Two. (1948) Charlotte Iserbyt. Like their Soviet counterparts, who also envisioned "scientifically" engineered human prototype (the "new Soviet man"), these revolutionaries knew well that their biggest obstacle would be Christianity. Therefore their main assault would be directed at the uncompromising truths of the Bible. Trust and loyalty to God must be replaced by loyalty and submission to the greater whole -- the collective global village -- represented by a Marxist-oriented world government. Their goals and tactics haven't changed. Take religion. Back in 1933, John Dewey co-authored the first Humanist Manifesto which called for a new world religion: "...a synthesizing and dynamic force for today must be shaped for the needs of this age. To establish such a religion is a major necessity of the present." They have come a long way. Today, Christianity is banned from our government schools. Instead, students are immersed in the new global spirituality -- a contemporary, idealistic blend of all religions -- through classroom myths, rituals, symbols and multicultural experiences. This new spiritual synthesis has been adapted to fit the amoral, religious standards outlined by UNESCO's Declaration on the role of religion in a culture of peace and Declaration of Principles on Tolerance.

Okay, nothing new here... Not too shocking... yet. But what I read here, was a real shocker:

John Dewey “was a leading proponent of the American school of thought known as ‘pragmatism’.” The adherents of this philosophy “claim that an ideology or proposition is true if it works satisfactorily, that the meaning of a proposition is to be found in the practical consequences of accepting it, and that unpractical ideas are to be rejected.” Mr. Dewey was also a co-signatory to the first Humanist Manifesto in 1933. According to Mr. DeArmond, the “Deweyites preached that education should be made a pleasant diversion for the students instead of an onerous task.” Additionally, Emphasis away from the essential skills — the three R’s — allowed young minds to grow up in a wilderness of weeds. Old-fashioned teachers had insisted on the value of discipline, both mental and moral. When discipline as an educational cornerstone was abandoned, the drill feature was taken out of education. But it turned out that without drilling the average student did not learn to read, write, spell, or figure with facility.... But there was an even more dangerous aspect to the “progressive” movement. Along with their revolutionary methods of teaching, the Frontier Thinkers coupled strongly socialist or collectivist ideas.... But there was an even more dangerous aspect to the "progressive" movement. Along with their revolutionary methods of teaching, the Frontier Thinkers coupled strongly socialist or collectivist ideas. At a meeting held at Teachers College, Columbia University, in 1933 .... Plans for a new curriculum and a new policy of indoctrination in the classroom were evolved. Social studies were to be the propaganda vehicle, the medium for the new short cut to implant "social consciousness" in pupils. Instead of the disciplines of biology, physics, and chemistry, a mongrel subject called "general science" took its place on the curriculum. Civil government, economics, and history also fell before the onslaught..... "I believe we can work with the Communists and at other times with the socialists," Dr. Newlon [a member of the Frontier Thinkers] suggested..... The group then penetrated the previously conservative National Education Association.... [T]he British radical Socialist Harold Laski congratulated the organization on its educational program for a socialistic America. "It could be implemented in a society only where socialism was the accepted way of life," he said, "for it is a direct criticism of the ideas that have shaped capitalistic America."

Can you believe it?! We are literally seeing this fulfilled before our eyes, people! It's so sad... But it's because they have removed God from all aspects of American life... Therefore, the schools would be no exception. Indoctrination is the key in a socialistic society, and this is why the government is so quick to push evolution on the kids. Their little minds are like sponges; they will believe anything, and it will be hard to change once they are older. We need God back in America. When we remove the very foundation of a society, why should we be surprised when it crumbles? "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" ~ Psalm 11:3