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Every time you stop a school, you will have to build a…

“Every time you stop a school, you will have to build a jail. What you gain at one end you lose at the other. It's like feeding a dog on his own tail. It won't fatten the dog.” quote by Mark Twain
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“Every time you stop a school, you will have to build a jail. What you gain at one end you lose at the other. It's like feeding a dog on his own tail. It won't fatten the dog.”

Mark Twain

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote warns that replacing education with punishment leads to loss of freedom and ineffective outcomes.

In simple terms: Replacing schools with jails harms society and doesn't improve anything.

Key Takeaway

Avoid punitive replacements for education.

Themes

education justice freedom policy consequences

Mood

cautionary critical

Type

advice philosophical

When to use this quote

  • school reform
  • criminal justice reform
  • public policy
  • community development

Key Concepts

social contract institutional design human nature

Questions to Reflect On

  • What alternatives to punitive systems can preserve freedom?
  • How does education prevent societal decay?
A Different Perspective

It may oversimplify complex social issues.

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