The first part of Holt's book deals with the meaning of the word freedom, and its relation to education.  Freedom, he notes, is something of which we know very little.  We have been raised to believe that the only way in which our society can function is through the creation of rules and rigid structures, often imposed and created by authority figures.  Holt explains the limits of freedom in education, and describes the tensions and problems faced by free schools.  He warns us not to confuse freedom for unstructured education, devoid completely of any rules.  Such a system, he agrees, cannot exist because, "Every human situation, however casual and unforced, has a structure."  In the free schools, there is not an absence of structure, but rather, a more flexible one.

Meanwhile, in regular schools, the structure revolves around the
teacher giving information and orders to the students.  It is not as though free schools lack rules.  In such institutions, children are aware of boundaries but still allowed space for self expression and creativity.  Holt provides an example of this flexible structure by describing a British school, run by psychologist Margaret Lowenfeld, which had a special room designed for those people who wanted to make a mess, and a soundproofed room for those who wanted to make noise.  However, in regular schools and in society at large, we often find rules that are vague and therefore, highly restrictive.   

To support this claim, Holt draws from a passage in James Herndon's book entitled The Way It Spozed to Be (1971).  The passage describes a white teacher who claimed that, while a young girl, she had been taught only to speak to ladies and gentlemen, and that her black students were not, and never could be, ladies and gentlemen.  Therefore, she refused to speak to her black students for the entire school year, and sent them away from the room if they attempted to speak to her.

Herndon's book contends that a deschooled society would be more appropriate for the poor.  Such a society would provide them with different paths of learning and advancement, rather than the singular path provided by our rigid educational system, which is too narrow and often fraught with obstacles that specifically hinder the poor.  Herndon also argues that open or free school may be a waste of time and money for the poor, and further notes that, only recently have we come to accept the notion that learning best takes place in an institution.  Such a notion makes education a costly endeavor for our society.

Holt goes on to argue against big budgets for education, proposing instead a more hands-on approach to learning where students are productive as they learn.  Holt notes the idea proposed by social scientist Paul Goodman, who suggested paying a small salary to many kinds of workers and craftsmen - i.e. garage mechanics, carpenters, etc. - in return for which they would agree to let some children observe them working, and answer any questions about their work.

The book concludes by pointing out that schools have diverted from their principal mission: to promote the growth of the children in them.  Instead, they have been relegated to a custodial function where they resemble jails instead of centers of learning.  In such a system, students don't feel compelled to learn, and will often act in a way that makes it difficult for others to learn.

The book also criticizes school sports for creating an environment of "winners and losers," the indoctrination in which schools engage, and state school attendance laws, which, if they must exist at all, should allow students to choose the days on which they will attend.  Finally, Holt implores us to end the "tyranny" that schools exercise over our children, stating that this is the only way we can save their souls.

Holt, J. (1972)  Freedom and Beyond (Innovators in Education).  Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook.