Secret Schools - by Heather Camlot (Hardcover)

About the Book

"SECRET SCHOOLS is about the power of education and how far some have had to go to offer it and to access it. This highly readable and inspiring book introduces middle-grade readers to 15 real-life examples of people and communities from all over the globe and at various times in history who established clandestine schools or education circles out of a thirst for knowledge, to ensure their basic rights, and to preserve the only world they've ever known. The book is organized into 5 sections: Section 1: Cultural Connections--Protecting One's Identity - Includes stories of the secret language and cultural schools established by Japanese migrant workers in Brazil, Indigenous people in Ecuador, and Lithuanians living under Russian rule. Section 2: Hope and Dignity--Escaping Slavery and Oppression - Includes stories of schools secretly run by enslaved Africans in the United States, Jewish people in ghettos and concentration camps during WWII and Black South Africans who'd been imprisoned for fighting to end Apartheid. Section 3: Girls' Rights--Banding Together for Gender Equality - Includes stories of the Flying University students of Warsaw, girls' schools funded by secret societies of Iranian women, and an academic school for women disguised as a sewing school in Afghanistan. Section 4: Spy Schools--Going Underground and Undercover - Includes stories of espionage schools run by the Soviet Union's KGB agents, the British government's Camp X (housed on Canadian soil), and a Cold War Russian language training school. Section 5: Radical Learning--Moving in a New Direction - Includes stories of student-led pro-democracy study circles in Korea, Elon Musk's experimental educational approach with his Ad Astra school, and the Indonesian government's program to protect and educate the children of violent extremists. Each 2-page story includes a sidebar with additional biographical information about individuals who played significant roles in the school. Includes endnotes and a selected bibliography."--]cProvided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

Education goes undercover in this compelling look at some of the world's most secretive schools through history

Can you keep a secret? What if it meant hiding from your loved ones, sneaking out late at night, or risking imprisonment? And what if that secret was that you were going to school?

From covert classrooms created by enslaved Africans in the United States, to academic schools disguised as "sewing lessons" for women in Afghanistan, to espionage schools run by powerful governments, Secret Schools explores the hidden classrooms that have opened their doors so children and adults could learn.

Vivid linocut illustrations and interesting facts enhance the book's 15 true stories of resilience and courage in the pursuit of education. Accompanying profiles for each story introduce readers to an important person who played a significant role in each secret school. Concluding with a look at inventive approaches to education in today's world, this deep dive into clandestine learning will invite readers to think deeply about the meaning of education and the barriers many face in accessing it.

Review Quotes

"A humbling account of peoples around the world, now and in history, that covertly struggle to learn despite the dangers involved."

-- "Canadian Children's Book News"

"A timely look at past and present tales of students struggling to learn at all costs ... This book will surely inspire students to conduct further research on many of these underground schools as well as the many brave individuals who made them possible."

-- "School Library Connection"

"An interesting, often inspiring overview of a topic rarely examined for this age group that will motivate readers to explore further."

-- "Booklist"

"Inspiring ... Readers will gain a new perspective about the world around them and their own role as students."

-- "BC Teachers' Federation"

"Inspiring tributes to select underground and nontraditional schools and those who founded them."

-- "Kirkus Reviews"

"The information is interesting and presented in short sections ... Recommended."

-- "Canadian Review of Materials"