In this book Joel Spring traces the long
tradition of libertarian opposition to established forms
of schooling from Rousseau and William Godwin to A.S.
Neill and Paulo Freire. He illuminates
the central questions that have concerned radical
educators:
How can teaching encourage independence and
self-reliance?
Can rigid ideas and ideologies be avoided by radical
educators?
What is the contradiction between "schooling"
and "education"?
How does truly libertarian child rearing challenge the
family structure?
How can real learning free people so they can begin to
change the world around them?
Spring also discusses the ideas of several figures whose relevance to education is just beginning to be appreciated, including Max Stirner, Franciso Ferrer, Wilhelm Reich, and Tolstoy. Spring concludes with suggestions for what directions radical educational change might now take.
"I find it powerful and liberating...I think this is a very valuable and important book." Jonathan Kozol
"Spring's book is unique. It stands serenely outside the muddy stream of literature spawned by the recent wave of criticism to compulsory schooling. This is the only readable book I know which does so in simple language and with the clearsightedness of the competent historian." Ivan Illich
- Table of Contents
- Introduction
- The Radical Critique of Schooling
- Ownership of Self
- The Growth of Consciousness: Marx to Freire
- Sexual Liberation and Summerhill: Reich and Neill
- Freeing the Child from Childhood
- Present Realities and Future Prospects
- Notes
- Bibliography
About the author
Joel Spring taught as an associate professor of education
at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. He is
author of Education and the Rise of
the Corporate State, and has
written extensively for various educational
journals--notably, on national education policy since
World War II.
157 pages, bibliography,
children's illustrations
Paperback ISBN: 1-55164-116-X $17.99
Hardcover ISBN: 1-55164-117-8 $46.99
Education / Philosophy
May 1998
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