SchoolSucks Podcast: The END of Public Education

Critical Thinking Question: Simply put, what have my work experiences revealed about public education? Topic: I record a podcast while driving a car. During the drive, I ponder a couple of important professional questions, veer off course (podcast-wise), channel Stewie Griffin, and discuss what I think the real job of an "educator" should be. My Embedded Curriculum: (Within Mainstream Tutoring Services) -Logical Reasoning -Critical and Creative Problem Solving -Revival of Childhood Curiosity -Building Positive Relationships with Adults Who Are Potential Mentors -A Healthy and Persistent Skepticism of Authority and Tradition (social, cultural & mystical) -Intellectual Confidence -Ethical Consistency Bumper Music: "Head Over Heels" Tears For Fears Click Here To Watch A Rad 80s Video! Look Closer: John Holt's Website http://www.holtgws.com/ A Good Resource For Unschooling http://www.unschooling.com/ "The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education" by Grace Llewellyn http://www.amazon.com/Teenage-Liberation-Hand book-School-Education/dp/0962959170 Teenage Liberation/Grace Llewellyn Website http://gracellewellyn.com/

The third episode in a series aimed at detailing and dismantling specific elements of the destructive hidden curriculum in public education. Critical Thinking Question: What happened to... "why?" Topic: The third embedded lesson of public education: Apathy and Indifference If the training in obedience and conformity doesn't properly sink in, or doesn't last throughout a person's life, this lesson provides a nice safety net for the status quo. “There is no neutral education. Education is either for domestication or for freedom.” -Joao Coutinho Bumper Music: "Got A Right To Be Wrong" Joss Stone http://www.jossstone.com/ Look Closer: CNN: How Stupid Are Americans? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0efLWdJWk4 Freedomain: The Money That Is Sold Abroad Is You! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd-SLRyuRq0 George Carlin - Education http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFwTIPRLwCM " The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education" by Grace Llewellyn http://www.amazon.com/Teenage-Liberation-Hand book-School-Education/dp/0962959170 Teenage Liberation/Grace Llewellyn Website http://gracellewellyn.com/

As they might say at school... All Students, Please bring this home for your parents to review. You Tube Video: The Liberty Roundtable #1: Education and the State http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_bLcxOU4ww A rousing roundtable with Wes Bertrand http://www.completeliberty.com Brett Veinotte http://www.schoolsucks.podomatic.com and Stefan Molyneux of Freedomain Radio http://www.freedomainradio.com Topics: Operant Conditioning, Parenting, Intrinic Verses Extrinsic Motivation, Conformity With a quick intro by me Look Closer: Punished by Rewards: The Trouble with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A's, Praise, and Other Bribes by Alfie Kohn http://www.alfiekohn.org/books/pbr.htm The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education by Grace LLewellyn http://www.amazon.com/Teenage-Liberation-Hand book-School-Education/dp/0962959170

Above: 80s Teen Movie Antagonist William Zabka (This will make sense when you're done listening) An update on the future of the show... -Donations -Redesigning the website -Setting up a forum -Let's have a logo contest! (For people who don't care too much about winning big prizes) -Activism and incorporating that into the show as well -The next bump? Also... -Daniel Lakemacher's visit to NH -Ofer's incredible efforts -My failure to connect with public school teachers about these topics Bumper Music: "Random Topic" by Jason Mraz and Bushwalla http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B0ul4jtZlM A lso discussed: Buy Wes Bertrand's Book, Complete Liberty: The Demise of the State and the Rise of Voluntary America http://stores.lulu.com/wbertrand Donate to Freedomain Radio www.freedomainradio.com/donate.html AMP Free Talk Live (Advertise, Market, Promote) http://freetalklive.com/AMP.php This guy is not me: Happeh Theory http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9RzAXU3sHw

My interview on The Peter Mac Show from October 10th, 2009. I've added a quick introduction about the discussion and my "performance." Note: Because of the length, I've uploaded the MP3 at a lower bit rate (64 kbps). Please let me know if this is intolerable. Peter's Bio: Peter is a former math professor turned entrepreneur. He swims, works outs regularly, and occasionally competes in U.S. Masters Swimming. His interest in freedom, government, and current events caused him to launch The Peter Mac Show in 2001, which ran for over five years. He is thrilled to be back on the air with The (new) Peter Mac Show. Website: http://www.petermacshow.com/ To Stream His Show: http://www.libertynewsradio.com/ Mentioned In Our Discussion: Complete Liberty Podcast http://completeliberty.com/ Freedomain Radio www.freedomainradio.com/ Kurt Tischer (guitars, music, pro audio, philosophy, politics, etc.) www.kurttischer.net/ Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations by Clay Shirky (BOOK) Details On Amazon Here Comes Everybody (SITE) http://www.herecomeseverybody.org/ "Against School: How public education cripples our kids, and why" By John Taylor Gatto http://www.spinninglobe.net/againstschool.htm La rken Rose Cowboy Clyde sings his hit song, "I Love My Country"! http://www.larkenrose.com/

Critical and Creative Thinking Exercise: Imagine a free world... Topic: Wes Bertrand and I continue our discussion about conformity and collectivism. Wes touches on the impact of the family in conformity. (Part 2 of 2) This episode also includes some discussion about self-esteem, self-worth, and honoring the imagination and individualism of others. (NOTE: I have to apologize for a few snaps, crackles and pops; I was experimenting with a different call-recording process) Bumper Music: "Who Are You" The Who http://www.thewho.com/ Look Closer: Complete Liberty: The Demise of the State and the Rise of Voluntary America by Wes Bertrand http://completeliberty.com/contents.php Imagi ne A Free World (From Complete Liberty) http://completeliberty.com/chapter4.php#91 Co mplete Liberty Podcast http://completeliberty.libsyn.com/ Apple - 1984 (YouTube) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R706isyDrqI S teve Jobs demos Apple Macintosh, 1984 (YouTube) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0FtgZNOD44&fe ature=fvw The Amazing Internet 1993 (YouTube) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1A9lYC3g-0 T he Internet In 1969 (YouTube) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0pPfyYtiBc

Pictured ABOVE: Most of the people you know (Foreground) Critical Thinking Question: First imagine you live in a neighborhood controlled by a violent gang... What if you started using first-person plural pronouns when discussing the gang and their activities, even though you were not in the gang, you didn't know anyone in the gang, and no one in the gang knew or cared about you? Would this linguistic programming eventually lead to sympathy for the gang's activities? Or resistance to the idea that what they were doing was wrong? Topic: How does training in conformity scale up to collectivism in society? Wes Bertrand joins me to discuss conformity and collectivism (Part 1 of 2) I also talk about Ayn Rand's novelette, "Anthem" (1938) (NOTE: I have to apologize for a few snaps, crackles and pops; I was experimenting with a different call-recording process) Bumper Music: "Consequence of Sounds" Regina Spektor www.myspace.com/reginaspektor Look Closer: Complete Liberty: The Demise of the State and the Rise of Voluntary America by Wes Bertrand http://completeliberty.com/contents.php The Psychology of Liberty by Wes Bertrand http://www.amazon.com/Psychology-Liberty-Wes-B ertrand/dp/0738837407 Complete Liberty Podcast http://completeliberty.libsyn.com/ How Quiet Helps at School(1953) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOtkQWpKABo Anthem, A Novel by Ayn Rand (With a Preface and Notes by Richard Lawrence) http://www.noblesoul.com/orc/texts/anthem/com plete.html

The second episode in a series aimed at detailing and dismantling specific elements of the destructive hidden curriculum in public education. Critical Thinking Question: Consider for a moment the amazing and wonderful diversity of human beings: in thought, ambition, imagination and creativity... Why would certain people want to reduce so many unique individuals to a point where they can easily fit into a uniform and homogeneous group? Topic: The second embedded lesson of public education: Conformity This is what Alexander Inglis called the "Integrating Function" of secondary education. We certainly pick it up in elementary school as well. And who has benefited? “There is no neutral education. Education is either for domestication or for freedom.” -Joao Coutinho Bumper Music: "Steal My Sunshine" Kidz Bop! www.kidzbop.com/ Look Closer: "Principles of secondary education" By Alexander James Inglis http://books.google.com "The Six-Lesson Schoolteacher" by John Taylor Gatto http://www.cantrip.org/gatto.html AGAINST SCHOOL(How public education cripples our kids and why) By John Taylor Gatto http://www.spinninglobe.net/againstschool.htm Ho w Quiet Helps at School(1953) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOtkQWpKABo So-Called Education Intentionally Dumbs Down Americans by Heidi Stevenson http://www.naturalnews.com/023215_America_hea lth_United_States.html For A New Liberty by Murray N. Rothbard (Chapter 7: Education) http://mises.org/rothbard/newlibertywhole.as p#p119

My interview on Freedomain Radio from September 27th, 2009. I've added a quick introduction about the discussion and about my thoughts on Freedomain Radio. freedomainradio.com Freedomain Radio Interview: Brett Veinotte (You Tube) School Sucks Beginner's Guide to Freedomain: (For those who are unfamiliar, some suggestions...) If Episode 7.2, with Daniel Lakemacher, left you wanting more about war: True News 10: Soldiers, War and Freedom... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANZhW0zxDVs ( This is the first Freedomain video I saw. I watched it about 10 months ago for the first time, and I've watched/listened at least a dozen times since then. Extremely powerful.) For the "disenfranchised conservative," who recently discovered libertarianism...here's an introduction to consistency: True News 18: Obama's Inauguration - The Antidote http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymHMY4P3OPM Fo r those looking for a new way to approach debates/discussions with statists: New Hampshire Liberty Forum - Keynote Speaker: Stefan Molyneux 1 (Against Me?) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKOTqRb5nvg New Hampshire Liberty Forum - Keynote Speaker: Stefan Molyneux 2 (Against Me?) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANZhW0zxDVs For those who see what's going on, but are still saying, "maybe there's some ethical, logical, noble, and effective way for strangers to do violence against me and my children that I haven't thought of yet..." True News 5: The Truth About Voting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igbBItLemsM Some of my favorites: True News 50: Ten Lost Years http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydtP-CzyMCg True News 13: Statism is Dead - Part 3 - The Matrix http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=stefbot#play /uploads/105/P772Eb63qIY True News 46: Health Care Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nt0tKl0J-S4

(ABOVE: There's that tree I'm always talking about) A personal story about personal responsibility...and liberation from the illusion of virtue associated with obedience and self-sacrifice Critical Thinking Question: How could disobedience to authority save millions of lives? Topic: Daniel Lakemacher (warisimmoral.com) joins me to discuss obedience. He also shares his personal story of how he freed himself (within the last year) from three types of crippling obedience training - public education, religion and military. About Daniel's interview on Antiwar Radio: Daniel Lakemacher, founder of the website WarIsImmoral.com, discusses his conscientious objector (CO) discharge from the U.S. Navy, how the experience of working at Guantanamo and (independently) learning about the libertarian “non-aggression principle” changed his mind about war and justice, the process of becoming a CO and how the military defines morality in terms of obedience/disobedience. Bumper Music: "Living On A Thin Line" The Kinks http://www.thekinks.com Look Closer: Daniel Lakemacher's Website http://warisimmoral.com/ Daniel Lakemacher on Antiwar Radio http://antiwar.com/radio/2009/09/16/daniel-lakema cher/ History of Atlas Shrugged http://atlasshrugged.com/book/history.html Th e Perils of Obedience by Stanley Milgram http://home.swbell.net/revscat/perilsOfObedienc e.html Milgram’s Experiment on Obedience to Authority http://www.cnr.berkeley.edu/ucce50/ag-labor/7 article/article35.htm For an extended discussion on obedience (between Wes Bertrand, Dan Lakemacher and myself), check out Complete Liberty Podcast Episode 84

The first in a series of episodes aimed at detailing and dismantling specific elements of the destructive hidden curriculum in public education. Critical Thinking Question: Why is obedience to authority actually the opposite of virtue? Topic: An experience I had with students last Saturday led to a web of ideas about the problem of obedience training and about the philosophical path toward the solution... The effect of this obedience training on 3 Values: Reason, Purpose and Self-Esteem “There is no neutral education. Education is either for domestication or for freedom.” -Joao Coutinho Bumper Music: "Obedience" Christian Song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKxOaGLTPTM "Slaves !!!" Wunder Showzen Clip (at 1:51) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdL2jiM601U Look Closer: The Night Is Dark and I Am Far from Home by Jonathan Kozol http://www.amazon.com/Night-Dark-Am-Far-Home/dp/0 826400086 History of Atlas Shrugged http://atlasshrugged.com/book/history.html Th e Six Pillars of Self-Esteem By Nathaniel Branden http://www.nathanielbranden.com/catalog/product _info.php?products_id=35 More On Branden http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathaniel_Branden Wes Bertrand On Nathaniel Branden (Complete Liberty Podcast Episode 34) http://completeliberty.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id =382364 The Perils of Obedience by Stanley Milgram http://home.swbell.net/revscat/perilsOfObedienc e.html Milgram’s Experiment on Obedience to Authority http://www.cnr.berkeley.edu/ucce50/ag-labor/7 article/article35.htm Mike Wallace Interviews Ayn Rand http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ukJiBZ8_4k In this 1959 interview, Mike Wallace repeatedly commits one of the most common logical fallacies used by the TV media: Poisoning the Well. Through the way he phrases many of the questions and through his tone of voice, he is subtlety encouraging the untrained mind to passively dismiss Rand's ideas without even considering them. For an extended discussion on obedience (between Wes Bertrand, Dan Lakemacher and myself), check out Complete Liberty Podcast Episode 84

(Introduction to the Hidden Lessons of School) Critical Thinking Question: Imagine a very small group people trying to exercise power and control over a very large group of people. How dangerous would this situation be for the small group if they lacked the tools to control the thinking of people in the much larger group? Topic: Introducing the three aims of public education: blind obedience, assimilation, and the surrender of self-ownership The Matrix and Plato's Allegory of the Cave What if the Hokey Pokey IS what it's all about? Bumper Music: Psychostick "Hokey Pokey" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKZZ7ed7vXY Look Closer: The Matrix and the Cave http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRNMZEDOBrM John Taylor Gatto: Schooling is not Education http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKci3_cmlqI " AGAINST SCHOOL: How public education cripples our kids, and why" By John Taylor Gatto http://www.spinninglobe.net/againstschool.htm "S eparating School & State: How To Liberate American Families" by Sheldon Richman http://www.sntp.net/education/school_state_intr o.htm Crossing Education's Rubicon With Horace Mann http://sixthcolumn.typepad.com/cubedseducationblog /2007/05/education_is_a_.html WAS DEWEY A MARXIST? By William Brooks http://www.stlawrenceinstitute.org/vol13brk.html

(Part III: Authoritarian Absurdities vs. The Philosophy of Liberty) Critical Thinking Question: WHO is the owner of YOU? Topic: A comparison between a cluster of degrading and crippling ideas (referenced throughout the show as the "Authoritarian Absurdities") which I believe are prerequisites for embracing the political process and...The Philosophy of Liberty, based on the principles of self-ownership and property rights. A brief discussion of popular rationalizations for these absurdities and my rebuttals. Bumper Music: Steve Winwood "Different Light" http://www.stevewinwood.com/ Look Closer: The Philosophy of Liberty (Video) By Ken Schoolland and Lux Lucre http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8z1buym2xUM More About Ken Schoolland http://www.jonathangullible.com/ Hans Hoppe: The Economics of World Government (Audio) http://www.lewrockwell.com/podcast/?p=episode&n ame=2009-08-18_130_the_economics_of_world_government.mp 3 Hans-Hermann Hoppe: Archives (Past articles by Hans-Hermann Hoppe on LewRockwell.com) http://www.lewrockwell.com/hoppe/hoppe -arch.html Democracy: The God That Failed by Hans-Hermann Hoppe http://www.lewrockwell.com/hoppe/hoppe4.html

(Part II-Politics Is Force) Critical Thinking Question: Explain the difference between government and organized crime... Topic: Continued explanation of why I am against political solutions for education or anything else, AKA using the system to change the system by working within the system. Further explanation of the political process in the United States. Shocking comparison between government and organized crime. I also talk about Ron Paul's principles compared to other politicians, but let's be clear: a Ron Paul Presidency would solve nothing. (See article by Per Bylund below) Bumper Music: MJ "Beat It" http://www.michaeljackson.com/us/home Look Closer: The Politics Of Obedience The Discourse Of Voluntary Servitude By Etienne De La Boetie "Democracy--the god that failed: the economics and politics of monarchy" By Hans-Hermann Hoppe "DC is a Mafia"-A Government You Can't Refuse http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtO7LuK9-Xw The Myth of Democratic Peace: Why Democracy Cannot Deliver Peace in the 21st Century by James Ostrowski http://www.lewrockwell.com/ostrowski/ostrowsk i72.html Freedomain Radio-True News 5: The Truth About Voting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igbBItLemsM Demo cracy Is Not Freedom by Rep. Ron Paul, MD http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul233.html Obama Single Payer Strategy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-_SGGcJu_c St ephen Ducat: Hypocrisy in Red and Blue: How Republicans and Democrats Betray Their Principles Differently http://www.noovo.com/posts/4134995/?f=0@0 Universal Health Care: A Near Death Experience for Innovation by Les Lafave http://www.strike-the-root.com/92/lafave/lafave1 .html The Ron Paul Problem by Per Bylund http://www.strike-the-root.com/72/bylund/bylund7 .html Freedomain Radio-True News 46: Health Care Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nt0tKl0J-S4 "Complete Liberty:The Demise of the State and the Rise of Voluntary America" by Wes Bertrand Chapter 1: WHY POLITICS IS SO CONFUSING http://completeliberty.com/chapter1 "For A New Liberty" by Murray Rothbard (Chapter 3: The State) http://mises.org/rothbard/newlibertywhole.asp#p4 5 (Chapter 8: Welfare and the Welfare State) http://mises.org/rothbard/newlibertywhole.asp#p142 For more discussion on this topic (between Wes Bertrand, Dan Lakemacher and myself), check out Complete Liberty Podcast Episodes 78 through 82

(Part I-The Myth of Democracy & The Illusion of Freedom) Critical Thinking Question: How easy would it be to convince someone that they were free...if you could also make sure that they never knew what "freedom" really was? Topic: Why I am against political solutions for education, AKA using the system to change the system by working within the system. To me, that sounds like a myth that came out of the system, like bears spreading rumors about staying still when you encounter bears (it's easier for them to eat you that way). Jim Gaffigan On Bears Two big myths about democracy: 1. It works 2. It's good Neither are true, but #2 is far more important. We'll also discuss the role of public education and the mainstream media in this illusion. Bumper Music: Jamie Cullen "21st Century Kid" http://www.jamiecullum.com/latest Look Closer: The Politics Of Obedience The Discourse Of Voluntary Servitude By Etienne De La Boetie "Democracy--the god that failed: the economics and politics of monarchy" By Hans-Hermann Hoppe The Myth of Democratic Peace: Why Democracy Cannot Deliver Peace in the 21st Century by James Ostrowski Death by government By R. Rummel Freedomain Radio-True News 5: The Truth About Voting Kicking the Vietnam Syndrome by Brigadier General H. R. McMaster Gulf War: The More We Watched, the Less We Knew By Rosalind Silver Democracy Is Not Freedom by Rep. Ron Paul, MD THE PRINCIPLE OF UTILITY By Ronald F. White, Ph.D. For more discussion on this topic (between Wes Bertrand, Dan Lakemacher and myself), check out Complete Liberty Podcast Episodes 78, 79 and 80. Click HERE to download those shows