Deschooling Society (1971) by Ivan Illich

It’s easy for me to get behind the premise of this book–that schools have failed our individual needs and might not be the best place to encourage learning and develop the citizens which society needs. With that said, as is so often the case, the delivery of this idea is what I find difficult to accept with this book. Perhaps because of the prevailing dialog of the days of when it was published (1971) or the social and political structures the author was intending to take down–the critical discourse on education this book offers is, perhaps, too critical. Often times I believe that a more balanced approach to delivering a message might be met with greater update and understanding. Then again, this perspective is likely a result of my privileged upbringing.