I think it is both important to recognize the inherent benefits of schooling while simultaneously recognizing its flaws/drawbacks. To say that schooling is not necessarily important to our success or helpful to our daily life would be incorrect, especially in today’s world. Gatto’s examples are certainly valid, and other ones like Steve Jobs or Bill Gates would serve his claim. But in today’s world, schooling is certainly still very relevant and important to one’s success, as are the non-school related activities Gatto would support.
It is important that I clarify my definition of “success.” I look at it more along Havel’s lines – not in some monetary or status-based fashion but instead in terms of personal growth, satisfaction, and personal development. As such, as I’ve already said, school is still crucially important. It is one’s foundation. It opens doors to new pathways, to new topics, and to people. However, much like Havel’s essay towards the end, human development and general knowledge is just as important to one’s own success. This sort of knowledge does not come from school and does come from explicitly non-academic arenas, including but not limited to clubs, sports, arts, business/entrepreneurship, etc. As such, I will finish by saying both school and literal extra-curricular are equally important to success as I so define it.
I think that Gatto recognizes the importance of education and would attribute success to education just as you have. However, early on he distinguishes “education” from “schooling.” For Gatto, the formal system of schooling in the United States prescribes a specific education on its student. Gatto’s ideal education instead allows for the challenging of ideas and thereby allows change and improvement of ideas. To your point about defining success, I also think that Gatto would agree with Havel definition of success as both the progress of individuals as well as general knowledge. I think be believe that both came from this ideal education and could not come from “schooling.”