"Learning as a subversive activity" is about working with public school students to debunk the shallow conception that achievement equals learning. That means exposing the power relations that keep in place such a narrow definition of what counts and exploring the implications of those powerful forces for students' lives and for society at large. Just as important, those who work with children and young people in school must help students develop a critical understanding of what learning is, what it can do for them, and how to do it well. In this article, the author gives a message for those who care about education, which is to learn in spite of the system.