Jacques Ellul is the most compelling analyst of this awful phenomenon, in his canonical essay Propaganda. He fingers schooling as an unparalleled propaganda instrument; if a schoolbook prints it and a teacher affirms it, who is so bold as to demur?

If a teacher says it is so, it must be so. If it is actually in print, it must be true. If the print or media journalists say so, it must be true. If I read it on the internet, it must be true. Actually, it’s a matter of convenience. I can’t possibly verify personally every bit of information that comes into my possession. However, I must consider carefully my sources. And I must consider the fact that my children are depending on me to provide them with truth and the ability to discern truth from falsehood. What a responsibility!

The Prussian mind, which carried the day, held a clear idea of what centralized schooling should deliver: 1) Obedient soldiers to the army;2 2) Obedient workers for mines, factories, and farms; 3) Well-subordinated civil servants, trained in their function; 4) Well-subordinated clerks for industry; 5) Citizens who thought alike on most issues; 6) National uniformity in thought, word, and deed.
It is Gatto’s thesis in this chapter that these are the ultimate goals of government schooling. Could this be any American parent’s dream for his or her child? I think not.