Bertrand Stern facts for kids

Bertrand Stern (born 11 November 1948) is a German author and thinker. He lives in Siegburg, Germany. He calls himself a freelance philosopher. This means he thinks about big ideas and writes about them, but he doesn't work for a university or a company.

Bertrand Stern focuses on important topics about how we live. He often talks about human dignity. He is especially interested in ideas about moving away from traditional schooling. He also explores free education, where people learn outside of school. Other topics he thinks about include health, money, work, and how we travel.

About Bertrand Stern's Life

Bertrand Stern was born in Montbéliard, France, on 11 November 1948. His father, Arno Stern, is a well-known educator. Bertrand grew up in different places across Europe. Because of this, he can speak German, French, English, and Spanish.

He went to 13 different schools. He often says he did not enjoy his time in school. He has a son named Gabriel, who was born in 2019.

From 2011 to 2012, he taught at the University of Kassel. He also writes articles for a website called Rubikon.

Bertrand Stern helped create a movie called CaRabA #LebenohneSchule. It came out in 2019 in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The film shows people who have learned freely, without going to traditional schools.

Bertrand Stern's Ideas

What Bertrand Stern Thinks About School

Bertrand Stern believes that the way schools work today is not very helpful. He thinks that the current school system might change a lot very soon. He suggests it could even stop working as it does now.

Why He Disagrees with Compulsory Schooling

In Germany, there is a law called Schulpflicht. This law makes it mandatory for young people to go to school. Bertrand Stern is against this law. He believes that everyone has a basic human right to learn freely. He thinks that forcing kids to go to school goes against this right.

He has written many books and articles criticizing the idea of compulsory schooling. He describes it as "inhuman," "unconstitutional," and "outdated." He feels it "no longer has any place in our reality." He believes that the Schulpflicht law will be removed soon.

In an interview in 2019, he was asked about the future of schooling. He said that he thinks there will be no more compulsory schooling in just a few years.

His Thoughts on Work

Bertrand Stern also has ideas about work. In an interview, he shared his thoughts on the future of jobs. He said that creating new jobs sometimes costs more than the money they bring in. Because of this, he believes that people will work less in the future.