Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: _Dumbing Us Down_/Need for Communities

[Stephen Hawthorne (hawthorn]

John:  A number of us at Blue Heron Farm have read Gatto and responded 
very much as you have.  Our belief is that the system of compulsory 
education is *not* working in this country and that his criticisms of it 
are particularly valid.  I love the fact that he was twice voted Teacher 
of the Year in the State of NY.  He cannot be dismissed as some 
underfunctioning malcontent.

My partner Sally and I gave up, regrettedly, on the public school system 
a few years ago and began homeschooling the kids.  I say regrettedly 
because politically I believe in universal access to education as 
necessary for a democracy.  The kids thrived.  They immersed themselves 
in things that passionately interested them and maintained their over 90% 
standings in the annual CAT tests the NC requires homeschoolers to take.  

Homeschooling in a community living situation will be so much easier, 
eliminating the driving to get them together with other homeschoolers, 
and will give them easier access to a group of adults with a wider 
variety of interests and skills to learn from.

Thanks for introducing _Dumbing Us Down_ to this discussion group.

Stephen Hawthorne
Blue Heron Farm
Chatham County, NC