Yesterday, I visited the Sudbury Valley School, during their open house. They are celebrating 50 years of service. I presented a signed copy of my book "a man wearing a dress" to Daniel Greenberg, one of the founders of the school. You can learn more about them at The Sudbury Valley School's web site.
The school was founded in 1968, the same year I graduated from high school in a public school system. It wasn't until a few years later when I first read John Holt's book, "How Children Fail" which helped me understand that the years of shame and humiliation I experienced in public school was not really my fault!! Of course, it's too late for me to go back and "do" my education over again. But now, with 60 other schools around the country based on this model, children today don't have to be subjected to all that trauma!!
Of course, the Sudbury Valley School's model won't necessarily work for everyone, but there are many other alternatives out there. Right now, parents have to have enough money to support both public schools (through taxes) and alternative school tuition if they are to avoid the pitfalls of the public school model. I hope that someday, such a financial penalty will be removed and people can choose the kind of learning environment that best suits them.
Of course, the Sudbury Valley School's model won't necessarily work for everyone, but there are many other alternatives out there. Right now, parents have to have enough money to support both public schools (through taxes) and alternative school tuition if they are to avoid the pitfalls of the public school model. I hope that someday, such a financial penalty will be removed and people can choose the kind of learning environment that best suits them.
RSS Feed