Sometimes we feel a little awkward about doing something that such a small percentage of other people are doing. It can make us glamorize some of the experiences we may have had in school, or at least tell ourselves, "It wasn't that bad." But look through a few of these articles. Watch the videos. Remind yourself of the reality.
And before everyone goes nuts saying this is a terrible school-bashing page, I didn't make this stuff up! This is a reality check for many people. Sure, some people are perfectly fine with their school scenario - awesome. And there are TONS of websites to support that line of thinking. Most teachers DO try hard. But for those who don't - what about the kids exposed to them? Personally, I can only remember one or two good teachers. And knowing how long I was in school, that's not enough to tip the scales. And it's one of the reasons we chose to leave the school system.
“…the idea of special learning places where nothing but learning happens no longer seems to me to make any sense at all. The proper place and best place for children to learn whatever they need or want to know is the place where until very recently almost all children learned it–in the world itself, in the mainstream of adult life.”
“We made a terrible mistake when (with the best of intentions) we separated children from adults and learning from the rest of life, and one of our most urgent tasks is to take down the barriers we have put between them and let them come back together.” – John Holt

The truth about schools....
Sometimes it helps to take off those rose-colored glasses and schools for what they really are. This is our collection of articles and videos that remind people about why so many families are walking away from their school system.
Show me the truth.
AMERICA'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE NO LONGER SERVING THE PUBLIC
Daniel Lattier - Intellectual TakeOut | February 7, 2017
3 DESTRUCTIVE THINGS SCHOOL TAUGHT YOU
WITHOUT YOU EVEN REALIZING IT
Mark Manson | June 3, 2015
FACTORY MODEL SCHOOLS
Wikipedia
10 THINGS WRONG WITH WHAT KIDS LEARN IN SCHOOLS
Valerie Strauss | April 2, 2014
WELL, DUH! TEN OBVIOS TRUTHS WE SHOULDN'T IGNORE
Alfie Kohn | American School Board Journal - April 2011
HAS SCHOOL CHANGED?
Sara - Happiness is Here | October 11, 2O16
IS TRUMP'S VICTORY THE JUMPSTART CIVICS EDUCATION NEEDED?
Richard D. Kahlenberg and Clifford Janey | The Atlantic
EARLY ACADEMIC TRAINING PRODUCES LONG TERM HARM
Peter Gray | Psychology Today
HOW EARLY ACADEMIC TRAINING RETARDS INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT
Peter Gray | Psychology Today
A THOUSAND RIVERS
Carol Black | Schooling the World
HARNESSING CHILDREN'S NATURAL WAY OF LEARNING
Luba Vangelova | KQED News Mind/Shift
IS THE AMERICAN SCHOOL SYSTEM DAMAGING OUR KIDS?
Peter Gray | Reader's Digest
HOW THE NEW PRESCHOOL IS CRUSHING KIDS
Erika Christakis | The Atlantic
HOW DOES SCHOOL WOUND: KIRSTEN OLSON HAS COUNTED SOME WAYS
Peter Gray | Psychology Today
HOMESCHOOLING BECAUSE OF BULLYING?
Ann Zeise | A2Z Homeschooling
OUR KIDS DON’T NEED F@*#ING PEDAL DESKS, THEY NEED RECESS
Maria Guido | Scary Mommy
DEAR SCHOOL, IT'S NOT ME, IT'S YOU.
Teach from the Heart
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL NIGHTMARE: WHY FIX A SYSTEM DESIGNED TO DESTROY INDIVIDUAL THOUGHT?
John Taylor Gatto | Films for Action
THE PROFOUND WAYS THAT SCHOOLING HARMS SOCIETY:
INCREDIBLY, ALL OF THIS IS INVISIBLE TO OUR CULTURE
Carol Black | Films for Action
FINLAND WILL BECOME THE FIRST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD TO GET RID OF SUBJECTS
Brightside | November 2016
WHY CHILDREN PROTEST GOING TO SCHOOL
Peter Gray | Films for Action
Q & A WITH DENISE CLARK POPE
Palo Alto Weekly | March 30, 2005
WHY I'M LEAVING TEACHING, A FLORIDA TEACHER'S PAINFUL DECISION
Andrew Marra | Palm Beach Post
THE HUMAN NATURE OF TEACHING II:
WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM HUNTER-GATHERERS?
(How they taught without coercion)
Peter Gray | Psychology Today
FIRST LESSON: UNLEARN HOW WE LEARNED, GETTING BACK TO BASICS
Alfie Kohn
And then This...
No one wants to dwell on it, but these things really happened. True, the majority of schools are not like this. But for these families - and unfortunately many more like them, this is their reality.
- Mom Finds Son in Padded Room at Bastrop School
Mary Huber | Austin American Statesman - No Pay, No Play! Poor Kids Banned from School Carnival
Susan Edleman | May 24, 2015 - Teachers Abuse Special Needs Students
Huffington Post Collection of Articles - A Teacher's Story: Why I'm Leaving Public Education
Democratic Underground - New Braunfels Mother Speaks Out about Son Being Put in a "Safe Room"
THE FOCUS ROOM HORROR
Read the Research
Read Research studies on Homeschooling and Unschooling.