Democracy, Chaos and the New School Order

School Administrator, Dec, 1995 by William R. Cornett

Chaos exists in all organizations, restructuring movements, and the universe. Spencer J. Maxcy, professor of education at Louisiana State University, provides a new perspective on how chaos theory applies to educational reform in Democracy, Chaos and the New School Order.

The author suggests school reform proposals must consider the underlying values of the society and culture it serves. He places emphasis on the value of democracy, stating it should become the standard for choosing the good school arrangement since it parallels the standards of the good life.

Maxcy develops an understanding of school restructuring and the lack of aesthetic-moral concern within the social framework of the schools. He presents a strong case about the failures of restructuring, not as an absence of solutions but rather a lack of commitment to using the schools as a social space where people can participate in practices that are free and diverse.

He offers suggestions on restructuring that embrace chaos theory and cultural democratic ideals at a time when social cohesiveness is breaking down.

(Democracy, Chaos and the New School Order, by Spencer J. Maxcy, Corwin Press, 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, Calif. 91320, 1995, 196 pp. with index, $22.95 softcover)