| When people find out that I never graduated | | | | Instead of letting children naturally learn what they |
| high-school, they are often shocked. They know I am | | | | want, the school system shoves an "education" down |
| very smart and knowledgeable, and they think that | | | | the children's throats, which unfortunately turns many |
| means I should not have dropped out of school. This | | | | of them off to learning. Unfortunately, after going to |
| probably means that they either think a person cannot | | | | school, many children associate learning with the |
| learn outside of school, or that a smart person would | | | | disgusting authoritarianism of school. Students begin to |
| not choose to drop out of school. | | | | falsely view learning as bell schedules, hall passes, |
| Not only can a person learn outside of school, I believe | | | | mandatory class assignments, standardized curricula, |
| that a person can and usually does learn better | | | | and all the other unpleasant and authoritarian aspects |
| without institutional schooling. In turn, a truly smart | | | | of institutional schooling. |
| person would neither go to school nor send their | | | | Children who are not forced into school, and ones who |
| children to school--at least not to the mainstream public | | | | are smart enough to refuse to go, are not turned off |
| schools. | | | | like the others. These children love to learn. They enjoy |
| In my experience, mainstream schools do not teach | | | | researching topics of interest. They become curious |
| children to learn. The goal of these schools is not | | | | about new things that they encounter, and like to look |
| education, but rather socialization and indoctrination. | | | | up information about these things. For example, many |
| The point of mainstream schools and standardized | | | | mechanically-inclined children like to order |
| education is to turn unique, free-spirited individuals into | | | | build-it-yourself kits for various items, from a birds nest |
| standardized, obedient workers. | | | | to a whole home computer. In another example, many |
| Children are naturally inquisitive and curious, but the | | | | youths spend hours at a time rummaging through |
| mainstream education system does not want children | | | | Wikipedia articles, merely out of personal interest. |
| who think for themselves and ask questions. The | | | | Schools teach children to not learn. People learn better |
| mainstream education system wants children who | | | | without school. Even if you go to school, do not rely on |
| unquestioningly believe what they are told and | | | | it solely; augment your education by also learning |
| unquestioningly do what they are told. To that end, the | | | | out-of-school. Whatever you do, good luck and have |
| mainstream education system attempts to destroy | | | | fun! |
| children's innate curiosity and free-spirit. | | | | |