John Taylor Gatto needs our help.
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On July 29, 2011 John had a stroke which left him hospitalized for months and mostly paralyzed on his left side and bedridden ever since. His brain is working well, he believes he has much more to accomplish and contribute, and he is slowly gaining his strength. In the last few months we have raised enough money to help John and Janet in big and demonstrative ways... let's keep it up and get him back on his feet and ready to share his next round of intelligent discourse with us! We love you John!
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John has no income aside from a rapidly diminishing small pension and the contributions
folks like us are making to support him until he is recovered.
John is extraordinarily deserving of all the help we can offer him: those of us who admire,
respect and love him for the energy, brain power and commitment he has
shown to children, homeschoolers and unschoolers around the world. Let's become the community
we dream of and support John at this critical time of his life, shall we?
folks like us are making to support him until he is recovered.
John is extraordinarily deserving of all the help we can offer him: those of us who admire,
respect and love him for the energy, brain power and commitment he has
shown to children, homeschoolers and unschoolers around the world. Let's become the community
we dream of and support John at this critical time of his life, shall we?
Ways you can help John:As of December 20, 2012,
John is humbly asking for help with: 1. Financial assistance, for daily meals, medical needs not covered by medicare, computer supplies and all of the other ongoing expenses of daily life. 2. Drivers. Do you live in the New York City area? Do you have access to a vehicle that can transport John and Janet and John's wheelchair? Do you have time to help? John would LOVE assistance to get to doctor's appointments. He has a dream of being able to visit his country property 250 miles away too and it would be a godsend for him to find someone willing to take him there for a visit. (It may require you spending the night at your own expense at a local hotel or B & B!) If you can assist with driving, please email. 3. Medical advocacy. Do you live in the NYC area? Are you knowledgable and passionate and capable of maneuvering the bureaucracy that is the medical system? Are you willing to make phone calls and do some legwork in resourcing options for John? If so, he could really use your help. Email if you think you can do this. John says, "It's hard for an old fellow who lived an independent life to become a beggar, but I'd like to render more service to my fellow human beings in the time I have left." with love and gratitude to all, john (taylor gatto) a few of John's wise words ...
"The goal of real education is not to primarily deliver facts,
but to bring you to the truths
which allow you to take responsibility for your life." "Hugs and dying are beyond the reach of science, medicine or fast talk, and they are what education must invest its time in, not booting up, logging on or downloading." "Don’t cooperate with your children’s school unless the school has come to you in person to work out a meeting of the minds - on your turf, not theirs. Only a desperado would blindly trust his children to a collection of untested strangers and hope for the best." "School is a perfect place to turn science into a religion, but it’s the wrong place to learn science, for sure." "After 12,000 hours of compulsory training at the hands of nearly one hundred government certified men and women, many high school graduates have no skills to trade for an income or even any skills with which to talk to each other. They can’t change a flat, read a book, repair a faucet, calculate a batting average, install a light, follow directions for the use of a word processor, build a wall, make change reliably, be alone with themselves or keep their marriages together. The situation is considerably worse than journalists have discerned. I know, because I lived in it for 30 years as a teacher." "You can make your own son or daughter one of a kind if you have the time and will to do so; school can only make them part of a hive, herd or anthill." |
John's current condition:
on February 1, John sent an email of gratitude:
"Thank you and everyone for my new smile! Next Wednesday for the first time in a year I'll have teeth and be able to smile and chew again! The hospitals lost or broke two earlier sets of dentures, so it's been a long interval between peanuts. Truly, what people have done for Janet and me has been spectacular! The donor funds have gone for an aide to help me get out of bed and go to the bathroom, sanity-preserving services, for medicines, for printer ribbons,writing supplies, utility bills and food. I'm ashamed to say that I am one of the millions who ignored the parental wisom to put something aside for a rainy day, a jerk who devoted too much of his life to sugar and white flour/rice-- which are sugar in disguise. The strokes were almost certainly the result of abnormal blood sugar levels producing diabetes. This weird experience of weakness after a lifetime of perfect health has brought some wisdom too late, but, as mom used to say, better late than never. Anyway, genuine gratitude to all of you for taking away some of the stress at this horrible time. Their big-hearted generosity reminds me of the way Americans were during WWII when I was growing up. What a huge difference it has made for an old Pittsburgh boy and his wife--teeth, medicine, food, supplies, bills. When i get back on my feet, thanks largely to you all, I won't forget to follow this example with somebody else as needy as we are now, so the samaritan momentum will resonate beyond this moment ... God bless you all! Love to everyone from a grateful old fellow who thanks his invisible allies and prays for them every night. We would do our kids a cig favor by preparing them for the worst and letting them see how quickly the good things we take for granted like walking, using two hands, speaking clearly, and chewing can be taken away in one second by surprise; I had heard that preached, of course, but the words lacked sufficient meaning to influence my behavior. Now I appreciate that time and vigorous health are the real wealth. We need to put our heads together and figure out effective ways to teach that. with love and a smile, John on January 30, 2013, John says, "I am just headed out to the dentist to get my new dentures. I am doing better everyday and so grateful to all those of you who are supporting me and Janet. Every day feels like a celebration, knowing you are thinking of us and care about us. I am still spending most of my time in bed, but I am improving, little by little, and so appreciating the extra care I can afford thanks to you all. God bless all of you, so much!" on December 20, 2012 John says, "I am stronger, although the paralysis and pain lingers. Thanks to the extraordinary KINDNESS from those many of you who have contributed to my medical fund, I've been able to afford a visiting attendant to get me out of bed every other day and that has been such an improvement in my life. The money you have all contributed has also enabled me to get some preliminary dental work done and I am so happy about that. I and my wife Janet are filled with gratitude to all the warm-hearted generosity of those who are helping us. Bless all of you; one day when we're better we'll do the same for someone else. Meanwhile, from the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU and LOVE." on November 17, 2012, Janet, John's wife, says, "John is on a totally organic diet. His intellect seems to be improving along with his ability to work (longer and better quality). His mobility however is severely impaired. He cannot use his left hand. He can feed himself, but cannot dress himself. And his left leg has room for improvement. We were making improvements until last February when, because of infections and incorrect medications, we had to send John back to the hospital. Then we started from ground zero again. If improvements continue and I can get him to take his vitamins, who knows. As with all invalids, the evacuation process is impaired." Janet is grateful for our concern and all that those who love, admire and respect him are doing to try to help. She says thank you. The fact that people are so concerned and willing to help gives us courage to go on. Thanks. Can you help John?
John deserves our support
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