Calling Quote by George Bernard Shaw
“The schoolmaster is the person who takes the children off the parents' hands for a consideration. That is to say, he establishes a child prison, engages a number of employee schoolmasters as turnkeys, and covers up the essential cruelty and unnaturalness of the situation by torturing the children if they do not learn, and calling this process, which is within the capacity of any fool or blackguard, by the sacred name of Teaching.”
About This Quote
Shaw critiques formal education as a coercive system that removes children from parental care, turning schools into prisons where teachers enforce conformity through punishment, masquerading as learning.
In simple terms: Education as institutionalized control
Key Takeaway
Schools can suppress individuality
Themes
Power dynamics
Institutional critique
Childhood
Authority
Freedom
Mood
Sardonic
Critical
Reflective
Type
Satire
Social commentary
Philosophical
When to use this quote
- Parent-child separation
- Classroom discipline
- Curriculum enforcement
- Student resistance
- Teacher authority
Key Concepts
Pedagogy
Social control
Moral hypocrisy
Psychological impact
Practical Applications
- Reforming curricula to prioritize autonomy
- Implementing restorative practices
Questions to Reflect On
- How might education balance guidance with freedom?
- What alternatives exist to punitive teaching methods?
A Different Perspective
Some argue that structured education provides essential socialization and skill development, which can outweigh its restrictive aspects.
![“I don't see [ Trainspotting ] as an albatross, I see it more as a calling card. It's got me out to Hollywood, I've got a good agent, I've got a good manager, I'm getting a lot of work out there and doing a lot of stuff - getting a lot of film projects on the go.” quote by Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/918/irvine-welsh-843_agents_i-don-t-see-trainspotting-as-an-albatros_7750.jpg)
