In early American history, a literate and well-educated majority of Americans thrived without a national, tax-funded educational program. In fact, few of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence and drafted the U.S. Constitution had ever seen a public school, and yet they benefited from a free system of education vastly superior to the imagined benefits of today's state-controlled schooling. What happened over the course of the last and a half centuries? Why did Americans surrender the educational freedom that produced such widespread academic excellence to embrace a state of functional illiteracy under complete government control? In his seminal book Is Public Education Necessary?, Samuel Blumenfeld unpacks two centuries of source material to present an accurate history of the religious and philosophical transformations that gave birth to the educational statism controlling America's children today. From the New England Puritan experiments in compulsory schooling to the Unitarian crusades to perfect man with the "strong arm of government", Blumenfeld shows that public education in America has always been more about religion than literacy. A colorful history full of fascinating characters and incisive commentary, Is Public Education Necessary? challenges American parents to discard the common wisdom concerning public schools to reshoulder the responsibilities that are rightfully theirs, to fight to keep the liberties they inherited, and to teach their children to do the same.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Samuel L. Blumenfeld is a resident of suburban Boston. He is a native New Yorker who was educated in the public schools of New York city and City College of New York. Before turning full-time writer he was a book and magazine editor. To give himself frontline experience for his books on education he served as a substitute teacher in the Quincy, Massachusetts, public schools. He is chairman of the Massachusetts branch of the Reading Reform Foundation.
Blumenfled's articles have appeared in the New York Times, Herald Tribune, Commentary, American Opinion, Ideas, Reason, Inquiry, American Education, Vital Speeches, Education Digest, American Legion Magazine, Conservative Digest and Boston Magazine. He has authored seven books on the subject of education. Several of his books have been given the highest ratings by Mary Pride and Cathy Duffy, two of the leading homeschool curricula reviewers.He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws from Bob Jones University in May 1986.
Dr. Blumenfeld is a popular lecturer, teacher and advisor at many conferences, workshops and conventions, especially homeschool conferences. He has participated in such events on every continent.
Blumenfeld is frequently heard on numerous radio and TV talk shows across the U.S.
