The Antisocial Socialist

ooh! that is really interesting. i actually think that's an awesome idea, not from ideology but just from experience: the fact that certain environments can be safe and empowering in different ways as a starting point, and the fact that the american (maybe canadian as well) curriculum is so eurocentric and why make "changing the whole system" an idea that holds hostage any other efforts in the right direction? it is very different, but my cousins had serious problems at school and their family wanted to take them out and start a charter school, it failed, and they eventually did home-schooling. it's not the same thing, but since then it makes me aware of how children are like pawns in a game of what we want society to look like. we don't like the idea of a charter school, but we're not doing anything to change the ways schools mess people up, etc etc. and then it made me think that actually the school system is messed up b/c people want it that way. i mean it's messed up in the same ways that society and everyone in the community are messed up. why should the school system be any different? if there is cruelty and hierarchy and racism kind of in the roots of american society, why should schools not have it? why should anyone think it should be different? i met a teacher the other day who seemed to think it was right and good that she turn their students into little machines and almost abuse them if they don't perform on a snap of fingers. and i thought: i wouldn't be surprised if i met an american person like that, just any person. why should i be surprised that this attitude is within teaching?
oh, that was way off topic. but: i hope you can teach in that school some day! and i like how you put it: those 40% won't grow up to --make-- the social changes we all need. it's not oh poor blah blah blah. but that they are the future saviours of humanity (sorry, religious rhetoric), but you get my drift.