John Holt Argues Against

Escape from Education

"Young people should have the right to control and direct their own learning..." (Holt, p. 25).

Holt believes a standardized curriculum for all creates a schooling industry that lacks individual thought and freedom of choice. He further expresses such requirements and actions are in "gross violation of civil liberties" (p. 25). Rather than adults deciding what students need to know, students should have the choice to decide what goes into their minds. Adults have these rights, so why should students' experiences be anything less?

Holt encourages that the biggest fundamental right children have when it comes to their education is "the right to Learn, as opposed to being educated, i.e., made to learn what someone else thinks would be good for you. It is not just compulsory schooling but compulsory Education that I (Holt) opposes and wants to do away with" (p. 26).

Holt believes many children will choose to go to school if they are given the freedoms to decide if, when, where, and how much school they will attend. He further explores the idea that most children want to make their parents happy and will ultimately do what is best for their futures. The difference is the freedom and the choice is there, rather than the schools making the choice for them.

Holt goes on to argue that schools will do no more to protect children from harmful outside negative influences than they actually expose children to themselves. "If anything, they (schools) are worse, a terrible, abstract, simplified caricature of it" (p. 28). Schools simply have too much power, which is corrupting our students. The focus should be taken off of standardized curriculums and a controlled society and on to all citizens, regardless of age, being able to control their futures by choosing their own paths.