ML/NJ at #8, above, gives some good advice on what to read. And there's a LOT for free online. Any search engine can lead you to a Gatto treasure trove. His most quoted books are:
- Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling
- Weapons of Mass Instruction: A Schoolteacher's Journey through the Dark World of Compulsory Schooling.
- The Underground History of American Education
They're all quirky and they're all terrific. I would recommend, first, the Underground History. It will blow your mind.