--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The belief that young people are…" description: "\"“The belief that young people are incapable of making reasonable decisions is a cornerstone of our system of compulsory, closely monitored education.”\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/peter-o-gray-58447_childhood_the-belief-that-young-people-are-incapab_234437.jpg" --- # The belief that young people are incapable of making… ![“The belief that young people are incapable of making reasonable decisions is a cornerstone of our system of compulsory, closely monitored education.” quote by Peter O. Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/peter-o-gray-58447_childhood_the-belief-that-young-people-are-incapab_234437.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/peter-o-gray-58447_childhood_the-belief-that-young-people-are-incapab_234437.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/peter-o-gray-58447_childhood_the-belief-that-young-people-are-incapab_234437.jpg) > ““The belief that young people are incapable of making reasonable decisions is a cornerstone of our system of compulsory, closely monitored education.”” [Peter O. Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-o-gray/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society often assumes youth lack judgment, justifying strict schooling systems. **In simple terms:** Assuming youth are irrational leads to over‑control in education. Key Takeaway Question and challenge assumptions about young people’s decision‑making. Themes education authority youth empowerment critical thinking Mood critical reflective Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - school board meetings - parent‑teacher conferences - policy drafting - activist campaigns Key Concepts paternalism social control rights Questions to Reflect On - How does over‑monitoring affect learning? - What alternatives empower youth? A Different Perspective Youth can make sound choices when given trust and responsibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Childhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Unschooling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unschooling/) [Young people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-people/) ## Related quotes > [I'm a person who has always believed that you tell people the truth, and they'll make reasonable decisions. Truth is powerful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-m-a-person-who-has-always-believed-that-you-tell-people-the-truth/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [“It is often the case that when you broaden the frame, you reach more reasonable decisions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/it-is-often-the-case-that-when-you-broaden-the-frame-you-reach-more/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [The people who, during the election, were so wise, so moral, so perfect, now have no tendencies whatever; or if they have any, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-people-who-during-the-election-were-so-wise-so-moral-so-perfect/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [“desperate people are incapable of making good decisions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minka-kent/desperate-people-are-incapable-of-making-good-decisions/) [Minka Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minka-kent/) > [A life spent ceaselessly trying to please people who, perhaps, are incapable of ever being pleased, or trying too hard to always be seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/a-life-spent-ceaselessly-trying-to-please-people-who-perhaps-are/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [The idea that people are incapable of making up their own minds about people is something that Obama and his party live with every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-idea-that-people-are-incapable-of-making-up-their-own-minds-about/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [There are moments when people are incapable of understanding happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/there-are-moments-when-people-are-incapable-of-understanding-happiness/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [In a way, the world−view of the Party imposed itself most successfully on people incapable of understanding it. They could be made to accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-a-way-the-world-view-of-the-party-imposed-itself-most-successfully/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“You know people like this, right? 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There is no way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/people-who-create-things-nowadays-can-expect-to-be-prosecuted-by/) [Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/) > [“I certainly find it difficult to relate to people who seem incapable of doing anything on their own, needing company even whilst simply watching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-richardson/i-certainly-find-it-difficult-to-relate-to-people-who-seem-incapable/) [Jon Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-richardson/) > [Some people are incapable of perceiving in the object of their contemplation the very thing that gives it its intrinsic life and breath, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/some-people-are-incapable-of-perceiving-in-the-object-of-their-2/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) ## More by Peter O. Gray > [“In this day and age, nobody can learn more than a sliver of all there is to know. Why force everyone to learn the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-o-gray/in-this-day-and-age-nobody-can-learn-more-than-a-sliver-of-all-there/) [Peter O. Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-o-gray/) > [“the kids who can’t adapt to school’s tedium are diagnosed with ADHD and are put on powerful psychoactive drugs, which have the immediate effect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-o-gray/the-kids-who-can-t-adapt-to-school-s-tedium-are-diagnosed-with-adhd/) [Peter O. Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-o-gray/) > [“People naturally want to make sense of their world. That, to Greenberg, is the essence of human curiosity. As they strive to answer questions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-o-gray/people-naturally-want-to-make-sense-of-their-world-that-to-greenberg/) [Peter O. Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-o-gray/) > [“Perhaps kids today play on the computer as much as they do partly because that is one place where they can play freely, without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-o-gray/perhaps-kids-today-play-on-the-computer-as-much-as-they-do-partly/) [Peter O. Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-o-gray/) [Explore all 5 Peter O. Gray quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-o-gray/) ## More Childhood quotes > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? 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I keep all of my awards down there, and childhood photos, and even all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/downstairs-in-my-house-i-have-a-museum-room-i-keep-all-of-my-awards/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) > [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [On paper, it looks rough, but I had a great childhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-morton/on-paper-it-looks-rough-but-i-had-a-great-childhood/) [Samantha Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-morton/) > [Let positive, strong, helpful thoughts enter into your brains from very childhood. 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It was a mixture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tove-jansson/i-m-not-sure-i-would-have-ever-started-to-draw-let-alone-write-if-my/) [Tove Jansson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tove-jansson/) [Browse all 5,837 Childhood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The belief that young people are incapable of making reasonable decisions is a cornerstone of our system of compulsory, closely monitored education.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Peter O. 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