Royce Van Norman Quote

“Is it not ironical that in a planned society of controlled workers given compulsory assignments, where religious expression is suppressed, the press controlled, and all media of communication censored, where a puppet government is encouraged but denied any real authority, where great attention is given to efficiency and character reports, and attendance at cultural assemblies is mandatory, where it is avowed that all will be administered to each according to his needs and performance required from each according to his abilities, and where those who flee are tracked down, returned, and punished for trying to escape - in short in the milieu of the typical large American secondary school - we attempt to teach 'the democratic system'?”

~ Royce Van Norman

"School Administration: Thoughts on Organization and Purpose," Phi Delta Kappan 47(1966):315-16

Ratings and Comments


J Carlton, Calgary

Its a charade, but its no game.

jim k, austin

School and prison are very alike. Some want to start them at the age of 3. This gives an early start to the indoctrination process. I haven't been in prison, wait, yes I have, it was called Public School.

Anonymous, Reston, VA US

It is sadder yet that so many fail to take advantage of the great opportunities that are present, both in the 60s and today.

E Archer, NYC

This describes most of the schools I have attended. Without a significant shift in the way Americans provide their children with knowledge, the principles of Liberty will all but be replaced with the principles of communism. We are always so ready to apply militaristic modalities to protect us from 'enemies of freedom' that we have let the enemy just waltz into our schools and teach our children to be good little socialist consumers (i.e. debtors). The Founders must be rolling in their graves.

warren, olathe

The way of any dictatorial system.

Mike, Norwalk

Wow, I smile. Archer, said well.

Ken, Allyn, WA

What a wonderful civics lesson! Do schools even teach civics anymore or does that knowledge just provoke students to rebel?

Christina, Laytonsville

What can I say? He is right on!

Waffler, Smith

What a jerk this guy is!

Waffler, Smith

What else do you do with a seven year old than control them? Do you allow a seven year old to choose their own assignments, even in home schooling, hell no you don't? Few parents give their children the right to free religious expression, especially the home school crowd, in public school kids meet others of all religions but the school itself teaches none! Do not most parents want a controlled press and controlled TV when it comes to their children, so what is wrong with this? Okay so the student council is a sham, do you really want them running your kids school; as we know it is an adult's world afterall. This guy is an educator and he was trying to jerk the stings of other educators, of people who preside over our precious youth everyday. His words are simply shop talk not to be taken so seroulsy by political hackers like most of us. Have a litlle bit of humour, y'all!

Abigail, Newport

Subject is too important...no humor in it. Schools do not teach liberty. Schools do not teach individualism. http://youtu.be/8z1buym2xUM

Byron, Fort Collins, CO

A far cry from the factory public schools, St. Bernard's School, one of, if not THE top secondary school in NYC (of course, it's a private school), has a beautiful "Statement of Purpose" here: http://www.stbernards.org/about_us/purpose

alice
  • Reply
alice    4/19/11
Vedapushpa, Bengalore/India

A crucial discussion .. as in these of insufficiently informed young parents and rather shortsighted governments.
Vedapushpa @gmail.com
A Sociologist

Ronw13, Oregon

Thank you Archer !! Well Said !!

Mike, Pleasant Hill

Waffler says that the public schools don't teach religion? Oh I beg the differ, they teach atheistic secular humanism the foyer to socialism and communism. It is merely a competing religion but they would never admit that!

"Socialism is precisely the religion that must overwhelm Christianity. In the new order, Socialism will triumph by first capturing the culture via infiltration of schools, universities, churches and the media by transforming the consciousness of society."
-- Antonio Gramsci
(1891-1937) Italian Marxist theoretician and politician, class warrior Source: 1915

Kathy, NY
  • Reply
Kathy, NY    5/13/17

100 percent factual. UN Agenda 2030 in a nut shell.

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