“Schools teach children the principles of death and of suffering. They do not teach them the principles of life, which is diversity, which is being out there in the world. They teach them within closed systems, within closed buildings and walls, separated from the rest of the world. They teach them that violence is legitimate when it is applied from the top to the bottom and that it is illegitimate when it is practised in resistance or defence of diversity and life. They teach children that humanity is alien to this world, that success means pleasing those in authority who will own the products of our flesh, of our effort, of our work, of our love.” – Layla AbdelRahim

In the interview, Layla discusses some of the main ideas in her wonderful book Wild Children – Domesticated Dreams: Civilization and the Birth of Education (Fernwood Publishing, 2013).

Here’s my interview with anthropologist, author, and researcher Layla AbdelRahim.