This will resonate with many people, and in particular old hippies and the new generation of fanatics who believe that social networking will replace schools, and who want to dismantle the existing school system. Ackoff and Greenberg are the real deal, smart, great to listen to, personable.

Here is the problem. What they have to say is no different than what was said in the ’60′s by people like A.S. Neill (Summerhill) and other reformists including Illich (Deschooling), and in general the comments are both as valid and as useless as they were then, and will have the same impact. They demonstrate the problems that happen when people who have little understanding of history and sociology of mass education jump in. As a final note, there have always been, and always will be very small scale examples of forms of schooling that “make more sense” and that have been demonstrated as successful with a small number of students, and when those students are selected (rather than having to take everyone). In fact I used to hang out at just such a school to help out.

The problem is that the “school system” has a number of responsibilities in our society, and reflects societal values, which is why, despite all the hooting and hollering in the 60′s not a whole lot has changed. I congratulate Ackoff and Greenberg, but guys, understand your systems.