--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've been thinking that school, or…" description: "\"I've been thinking that school, or certainly the traditional English public school model, is like a prison, in that you can't get out and it is hierarc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/rutger-bregman-2463_bullying_i-ve-been-thinking-that-school-or-certai_1064012.jpg" --- # I've been thinking that school, or certainly the… ![“I've been thinking that school, or certainly the traditional English public school model, is like a prison, in that you can't get out and it is hierarchical. As a result they have a lot of bullying. On the other hand if you mix ages and academic ability this is less of a problem.” quote by Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/rutger-bregman-2463_bullying_i-ve-been-thinking-that-school-or-certai_1064012.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/rutger-bregman-2463_bullying_i-ve-been-thinking-that-school-or-certai_1064012.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/rutger-bregman-2463_bullying_i-ve-been-thinking-that-school-or-certai_1064012.jpg) > “I've been thinking that school, or certainly the traditional English public school model, is like a prison, in that you can't get out and it is hierarchical. As a result they have a lot of bullying. On the other hand if you mix ages and academic ability this is less of a problem.” [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Traditional school systems resemble prisons due to rigid hierarchy and limited mobility, fostering bullying; mixed-age, ability-based groups reduce these issues. **In simple terms:** Schools feel like prisons because of hierarchy and bullying; mixing ages helps. Key Takeaway Reform schools to mix ages and abilities. Themes education hierarchy bullying reform Mood concerned critical Type analytical reflective When to use this quote - classroom design - policy making - teacher training - student mentorship Key Concepts social stratification peer dynamics inclusion Questions to Reflect On - How can schools practically implement mixed-age classes? - What obstacles arise from changing hierarchy? A Different Perspective Mixed-age models may face logistical challenges and resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bullying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bullying/) [Less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/less/) [Lot Bullying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lot-bullying-1844948/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) [Result](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/result/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [School Model](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-model-2461925/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thinking School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-school-1053145/) ## Related quotes > [ I was always the weirdo at school. When I became a model \[at 16\], I didn't tell anybody. I was terrified that the kids… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-elson/i-was-always-the-weirdo-at-school-when-i-became-a-model-at-16-i-didn/) [Karen Elson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-elson/) > [For most, the school is the first model of a community, and it can be a very powerful one. We need to ensure that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-gardner/for-most-the-school-is-the-first-model-of-a-community-and-it-can-be-a/) [Howard Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-gardner/) > [We've got to start thinking of school as a lifelong process. That's the only way we'll keep abreast and be able to share in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/we-ve-got-to-start-thinking-of-school-as-a-lifelong-process-that-s/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [Right now I'm just thinking about school and trying to get those grades and keep them up! In case I become a Norma Desmond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-chlumsky/right-now-i-m-just-thinking-about-school-and-trying-to-get-those/) [Anna Chlumsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-chlumsky/) > [“Gansey had forgotten how much time school occupied. Perhaps it was because he now had more to do outside of school, or perhaps it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/gansey-had-forgotten-how-much-time-school-occupied-perhaps-it-was/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“Using Game Design and Systems Thinking Everything I do in school connects to my life outside of school through a game design and systems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-salen/using-game-design-and-systems-thinking-everything-i-do-in-school/) [Katie Salen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-salen/) > [I had seen a lot of bullying on social media. If this is happening to me, who only a few people are paying attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-wolfe-herd/i-had-seen-a-lot-of-bullying-on-social-media-if-this-is-happening-to/) [Whitney Wolfe Herd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-wolfe-herd/) > [I think I've learnt a lot about bullying and how to deal with bullying and how to get over that and to just be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-mckee/i-think-i-ve-learnt-a-lot-about-bullying-and-how-to-deal-with/) [Bonnie McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-mckee/) > [My grandmother was the matriarch. I was the youngest of all the men in my family, so I kind of used them as examples…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irone-singleton/my-grandmother-was-the-matriarch-i-was-the-youngest-of-all-the-men-in/) [IronE Singleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irone-singleton/) > [I don't know that there's more bullying or whether it's just more talked about. It seems to me that possibly that there's been a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanne-bier/i-don-t-know-that-there-s-more-bullying-or-whether-it-s-just-more/) [Susanne Bier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanne-bier/) > [I'm very lucky I haven't gone through a lot of bullying, and I'm also home schooled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amybeth-mcnulty/i-m-very-lucky-i-haven-t-gone-through-a-lot-of-bullying-and-i-m-also/) [Amybeth McNulty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amybeth-mcnulty/) > [I went through a lot of bullying early on. Girls made my life a living hell. We had come to America from a different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicki-minaj/i-went-through-a-lot-of-bullying-early-on-girls-made-my-life-a-living/) [Nicki Minaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicki-minaj/) > [“A lot of people believe that mental illness does not affect our children within the school system. But the truth is that a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamara-hill-ms/a-lot-of-people-believe-that-mental-illness-does-not-affect-our/) [Tamara Hill, MS](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamara-hill-ms/) > [Because I was aspirational, I did my work, I was respectful to my teachers, I experienced a lot of bullying from the black kids.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/because-i-was-aspirational-i-did-my-work-i-was-respectful-to-my/) [David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/) > [A lot of us have done bullying and didn't even realize we did it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dash-mihok/a-lot-of-us-have-done-bullying-and-didn-t-even-realize-we-did-it/) [Dash Mihok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dash-mihok/) ## More by Rutger Bregman > [“If all the developed countries would let in just 3% more immigrants, the world’s poor would have $305 billion more to spend, say scientists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/if-all-the-developed-countries-would-let-in-just-3-more-immigrants/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“When Lehman Brothers collapsed on September 15, 2008, and inaugurated the biggest crisis since the 1930s, there were no real alternatives to hand. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/when-lehman-brothers-collapsed-on-september-15-2008-and-inaugurated/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [I think one of the most important facts of basic income would be that it's not only a redistribution of income, but also of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/i-think-one-of-the-most-important-facts-of-basic-income-would-be-that/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [The great thing about money is that people can use it to buy things they need instead of things self-appointed experts think they need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/the-great-thing-about-money-is-that-people-can-use-it-to-buy-things/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“The idea that the GDP still serves as an accurate gauge of social welfare is one of the most widespread myths of our times.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/the-idea-that-the-gdp-still-serves-as-an-accurate-gauge-of-social/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [Most of Mark Zuckerberg's income is just rent collected off the millions of picture and video posts that we give away daily for free.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/most-of-mark-zuckerberg-s-income-is-just-rent-collected-off-the/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“To calculate the GDP, numerous data points have to be linked together and hundreds of wholly subjective choices made regarding what to count and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/to-calculate-the-gdp-numerous-data-points-have-to-be-linked-together/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Countless studies have shown that people who work less are more satisfied with their lives.37 In a recent poll conducted among working women, German…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/countless-studies-have-shown-that-people-who-work-less-are-more/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Precisely when we should be shouldering the historic task of investing this rich, safe, and healthy existence with meaning, we’ve buried utopia instead. There’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/precisely-when-we-should-be-shouldering-the-historic-task-of/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [Believing in the good of humanity is a revolutionary act - it means that we don't need all those managers and CEO's, kings and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/believing-in-the-good-of-humanity-is-a-revolutionary-act-it-means/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [Poor people aren't making dumb decisions because they are dumb, but because they're living in a context in which anyone would make dumb decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/poor-people-aren-t-making-dumb-decisions-because-they-are-dumb-but/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“The bottom line is that wealth can be concentrated somewhere, but that doesn’t also mean that’s where it’s being created. This is just as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/the-bottom-line-is-that-wealth-can-be-concentrated-somewhere-but-that/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Recently, the International Monetary Fund published a report which revealed that too much inequality even inhibits economic growth.22 Perhaps the most fascinating finding, however,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/recently-the-international-monetary-fund-published-a-report-which/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Not coincidentally, the countries with the shortest workweeks also have the largest number of volunteers and the most social capital.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/not-coincidentally-the-countries-with-the-shortest-workweeks-also/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [It matters so much that from a very early age we encounter different kinds of different people, because that's what real life should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/it-matters-so-much-that-from-a-very-early-age-we-encounter-different/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) [Explore all 164 Rutger Bregman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) ## More Bullying quotes > [When it comes to bullying small businesses, Donald Trump is the poster boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/when-it-comes-to-bullying-small-businesses-donald-trump-is-the-poster/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I never caught on to being a bully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-nolte/i-never-caught-on-to-being-a-bully/) [Nick Nolte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-nolte/) > [“Don’t turn your face away. Once you’ve seen, you can no longer act like you don’t know. Open your eyes to the truth. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vashti-quiroz-vega/don-t-turn-your-face-away-once-you-ve-seen-you-can-no-longer-act-like/) [Vashti Quiroz-Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vashti-quiroz-vega/) > [I think the sooner that all of us in society stop accepting any type of bullying or harassment from other people - in spite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-priestley/i-think-the-sooner-that-all-of-us-in-society-stop-accepting-any-type/) [Jason Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-priestley/) > [Have a heart, Lend a hand, To help a friend, Stop bullying!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/have-a-heart-lend-a-hand-to-help-a-friend-stop-bullying/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [Any kind of restrictions put on free speech would have worse consequences than bullying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-starlight/any-kind-of-restrictions-put-on-free-speech-would-have-worse/) [Lady Starlight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-starlight/) > [I think everyone has been annoyed at school or in their life, that's a type of bullying. So, you can take those feelings and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kodi-smit-mcphee/i-think-everyone-has-been-annoyed-at-school-or-in-their-life-that-s-a/) [Kodi Smit-McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kodi-smit-mcphee/) > [I just dont know why people stalk. like forreal why? it's a big waste of your time! and plus its called cyberstalking. which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience/i-just-dont-know-why-people-stalk-like-forreal-why-it-s-a-big-waste/) [Patience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patience/) > [Each Act of Parliament intended to address harassment and discrimination has faced objections on the basis of 'you'll never be able to prove...' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-field/each-act-of-parliament-intended-to-address-harassment-and/) [Tim Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-field/) > [“Why I am Passionate and Dedicated 1000% to producing and bringing my books Loving Summer, Bitter Frost, and other book series to the Screen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailin-gow/why-i-am-passionate-and-dedicated-1000-to-producing-and-bringing-my/) [Kailin Gow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailin-gow/) > [ \[Putin\] is a bully. 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