By Lia Tarachansky

Kicking off the unSchooling Oppression conference, David F. Noble filled the Ottawa Public Library's auditorium. Not a surprise from such a high caliber activist and speaker. With an academic career spanning over three decades, he has gained a wide range of experience with the higher education system.

Being let go from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), fired from the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, and denied tenure at the Simon Fraser University, his defiance of University systems is deeply rooted. In spite, he is currently a tenured professor at York University and has a long record of publication.

Shortly describing his experiences in this talk he has built a colourful picture of a man bent on getting education and leaving schooling far behind. Told with a grain of salt from a tireless activist, his talk was never lacking in humor or insight.

When describing the educational system he summarized it as essentially a “war on pleasure.” Comparing to other experiences in life, he reflects to note people remember best when they are having fun. “Education has to be self-motivated and self-directed. If the students are not worried about what the professor thinks, they can start worrying about what they think. And that is incredibly hard.”

Advocating academic defiance, he described his own against the systems of oppression within the various institutions he has been part of. “Don't whine, don't complain. Get 'em. But you have to go for the Jugular, don't kid around. It's a street fight, do not have any illusions, there are no rules.”

Noble's privilege in this scenario was challenged during the question and answer period as was his form of activism. “It is privileged and defeatist. He's fighting as a result of a struggle that has been brought to him, but not as an initiative. It's very reactionary which is ultimately defeatist” says Emily Peters. A member of the Exile Infoshop collective which runs an Ottawa based Anarchist bookstore, she has attended tonight's event.

Continuing, she explains “it's an incredible privilege to even go to University, get a phD, and become a tenured professor. His form of activism is only applicable to a very small portion of the population.”

When compared to the Infoshop movement, Peters described a different approach to alternative education, outside the campus walls. “The Infoshop is creating an alternative education space for helping people learn how to become masters of their own lives.” She concludes by stating “it is a movement that embraces a larger, more diverse community. Especially in terms of class.”

Although the viewpoints approach the same fight differently they are ultimately creating niches of freer learning. It may be unclear what outcomes will emerge from these two very different movements but one thing is for certain; this conference will present many others.

Check out the Exile Infoshop online at exilebooks.org