Brooklyn Free School 2

Brooklyn Free School is an education place from kindergarten to 12th grade. It was etablished in 2003 by a group of people who thought there was a need for an alternative to the schools in New York City. It has two sections. The upper school is for children between the ages of 11 and 18, and lower school is for students between the ages of 4 and 11.

There is no curriculum or an academic agenda. It does not claim to be preparing its students for a national exam. Students are allowed to choose any class they want, and they are free to take a day off from school if they want. The students have the authority to make the school rules and they can change them if they want to. Some students may decide to play, walk around, or just sleep. There are interesting school subjects such as “The Wire and Urban Studies”. Students watch and then discuss the TV show The Wire in such classes. In another class, students compare restaurants or cafes around the town before going to eat in those places.

Students don’t have to wear a uniform in Brooklyn Free School. They also don’t have to come to school every day. There are only a few rules that never change in Brooklyn Free School; “You mustn’t steal.” and “You mustn’t cheat.” are written on all the walls of the school. Students must be honest, helpful and respectful to everyone. If a student wants to, he or she can call a meeting and discuss ideas with the whole school. Students run the classes, teachers are only moderators. The school principal thinks that every student must learn to find his or her own way in life and they must know how to make important decisions. For some people, Brooklyn Free School is not a good school because it hasn’t got a curriculum. These people think that all schools have to have a curriculum.