In a thread on a teachers' website discussing the idea of de-schooling society (Ivan Illich, 1971), prompted by the disaffection of many teachers in the UK with their work situations, and now possibly encouraged by the interest created in on-line learning and home schooling because of the pandemic, I was prompted to offer my views. I said I could write a lot about schools in an anarchist society. No-one in this thread showed interest, so I am inspired to write another blog entry here. This attempt has not been neglected by me in the past, because I am trying to write a book about a future anarchist society and have already included descriptions of such schools. The only other attempt, that I am aware of, by authors to write about an anarchist society, is a fictional description by William Morris in his novel entitled "News From Nowhere". I am sure, particularly in the field of science fiction, there must be many others.
OK, this blog entry is about how I envisage schools might be like in a future anarchist society. This society must first be given some sort of short description, and I find it easier to quote Wiki in its entry on "News from Nowhere".
" In this society there is no private property, no big cities, no authority, no monetary system, no divorce, no courts, no prisons, and no class systems. This agrarian society functions simply because the people find pleasure in nature, and therefore they find pleasure in their work."
I am not in total agreement with this, I think there can be big cities, and there will always be authority, but no authoritarianism, and I do not think it would be a completely agrarian society. It was published in 1890, and we have moved on a long way from then.
Anyway, back to schools. The sort of schools which could exist would, of course, be non-authoritarian, there would be no compulsion under the threat of punishment to attend. They would be free schools, in the way some private schools attempt to operate even in this day and age. I am lazy, so I will quote from my book!
"I will illustrate the nature of this world-wide anarchist society by looking at any school. I will have much more to say about the possible drawing of a distinction between children and adults but I mention now students' rights rather than merely childrens' rights as there are no age limits for attending any classes. They are fully established and many of these rights had been fully documented in statist times. Self-determination, freedom of speech and thought, freedom from fear and want, freedom to form relationships, even the ownership of one's own body are cited. In my world across the planet the duration of childhood is undefined. Every local community is free to determine the nature and duration of a person's childhood including the child. I used to attend classes of my interest but now in my old age I sit, think, talk a little and, of course, write. Sometimes I would go to a local school and sometimes I would be with a person or small group organised in someone's home, place of work, or recreational venue. In many communities schools may not even exist. If there is one it is because a group of individuals have got together to pass on their collective knowledge and experience to others wishing to attend, who may be of any age. Culture, language, history, geography, science, technology, mathematics, music, sport, dance and drama are all available in this school according to local needs and interests. Lessons sometimes adhere to a timetable but often occur spontaneously and there is no compulsion to attend and individuals can leave a lesson at a moments notice with customary politeness."
OK, this blog entry is about how I envisage schools might be like in a future anarchist society. This society must first be given some sort of short description, and I find it easier to quote Wiki in its entry on "News from Nowhere".
" In this society there is no private property, no big cities, no authority, no monetary system, no divorce, no courts, no prisons, and no class systems. This agrarian society functions simply because the people find pleasure in nature, and therefore they find pleasure in their work."
I am not in total agreement with this, I think there can be big cities, and there will always be authority, but no authoritarianism, and I do not think it would be a completely agrarian society. It was published in 1890, and we have moved on a long way from then.
Anyway, back to schools. The sort of schools which could exist would, of course, be non-authoritarian, there would be no compulsion under the threat of punishment to attend. They would be free schools, in the way some private schools attempt to operate even in this day and age. I am lazy, so I will quote from my book!
"I will illustrate the nature of this world-wide anarchist society by looking at any school. I will have much more to say about the possible drawing of a distinction between children and adults but I mention now students' rights rather than merely childrens' rights as there are no age limits for attending any classes. They are fully established and many of these rights had been fully documented in statist times. Self-determination, freedom of speech and thought, freedom from fear and want, freedom to form relationships, even the ownership of one's own body are cited. In my world across the planet the duration of childhood is undefined. Every local community is free to determine the nature and duration of a person's childhood including the child. I used to attend classes of my interest but now in my old age I sit, think, talk a little and, of course, write. Sometimes I would go to a local school and sometimes I would be with a person or small group organised in someone's home, place of work, or recreational venue. In many communities schools may not even exist. If there is one it is because a group of individuals have got together to pass on their collective knowledge and experience to others wishing to attend, who may be of any age. Culture, language, history, geography, science, technology, mathematics, music, sport, dance and drama are all available in this school according to local needs and interests. Lessons sometimes adhere to a timetable but often occur spontaneously and there is no compulsion to attend and individuals can leave a lesson at a moments notice with customary politeness."
