Discount

David learns to read at age four; Rachel, at age nine: In normal development, when both are thirteen, you can't tell which one learned first - the five-year spread means nothing at all. But in school, I label Rachel "learning disabled" and slow David down a bit, too. For a paycheck, I teach David to depend on me to tell him when to go and stop. He won't outgrow that dependency. I identify Rachel as discount merchandise, "special education" fodder. She'll be locked in her place forever.

--John Taylor Gatto, "Weapons Of Mass Instruction", p. 84 - 85