It’s worth asking ourselves what makes education in a democracy distinct. Of course we want children to study hard, to be responsible, to stay away from drugs, and to be prepared for work. But those are goals we share with totalitarian regimes, monarchies, dictators and kings. So what is uniquely characteristic of democratic education?
The founders of American education spoke of forging a common culture and preparing youth for lives of citizenship. The democratic aspiration was that young people would grow into reflective, critical citizens, capable of work and also self-governance, full participation and free thinking. The aim of production in a democracy is not the production of things but the production of free human beings, the goal, in W.E.B. DuBois’ phrase, not so much to make carpenters of men, but to make full human beings of carpenters.
A basic tenet of democracy is that the ultimate authority on any individual’s hurt or desire is that individual himself or herself. Education in a democracy demands equity, access, and an acknowledgment of the humanity of each person. The job of schools is to stimulate latent interests, desires, and dreams that cause people to question, to challenge, to criticize, and to act. Obedience and conformity are the enemies of democracy; initiative and courage are its hallmarks
http://billayers.wordpress.com/2008/02/01/the-education-president/
Good thing the school year is almost over. The sentence in the larger print resonates with me. I need a lot of serious time for thinking and reflection.
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