Deliberate Dumbing Down of America Public Education

A–144

I don’t believe in mental discipline as such.... I’m much more concerned with the student’s so-called personality traits. (p. 72)

I should not bother with ordinary learning theory, for example. I would eliminate most sensory psychology and I would give them [the students] no cognitive psychology whatsoever. (p. 91) It isn’t the person who is important, it’s the method. If the practice of psychology [operant conditioning] survives, that’s the main objective. It’s the same with cultural practices in general; no one survives as a person. (p. 96) It does bother me that thousands of teachers don’t understand, because immediate gains are more likely in the classroom than in the clinic. Teachers will eventually know—they must—and I am more concerned with promoting my theories in education [operant conditioning]. (p. 106) Have the radical psychologists achieved their goals? Let’s take a look at exactly what they believe. The study of human emotions, feelings, and individual worth are of no concern to these psychologists. They believe that by shaping behavior one can produce any “human machine” that society needs. Skinner proposes to achieve this utopian goal through the American school system. Evans asked Skinner what would happen if a “hostile government were to gain control and proceed to shape the development of children, putting such techniques totally into use.” Skinner replied, “There’s no doubt about it, but what are you going to do? To impose a moratorium on science would be worst of all.” Would it? A Nation at Risk states that “If an unfriendly foreign power had attempted to impose on America the mediocre educational performance that exists today, we might well have viewed it as an act of war. As it stands, we have allowed this to happen to ourselves.” Did we? Did the American people really know what was happening in education and to their children? The answer is no. A naive and great nation of freedom-loving people has been deceived by a “technique of control” that cannot be discovered by the average American. By subtle means of mind manipulation from clever propaganda techniques to out-and-out lies, the American people have been sold these radical ideas, methods, and techniques that truly place our nation and our children at risk. Skinner said, “You will teach your student as he wants to be taught, but never forget that it is within your power to make him want what you want him to want.” In other words, a teacher can program and shape a child into being anything the radicals decide he should be. Parents and American citizens should be aware of the government-sponsored programs being disseminated throughout the United States by the National Diffusion Network. The Network was established in 1974 to promote government-approved educational programs. Many of these programs are subtly designed with behavioral psychology techniques that I should like to see our government set up a large educational agency in which specialists could be sent to train teachers [in operant conditioning]. (p. 109)