Laboratories of democracy: school communities shape their culture by teaching and modeling individual rights, civic responsibilities and concern for the common good

School Administrator, May, 2004 by Charles C. Haynes, Sam Chaltain

So how has Hudson's experiment gone so far? Daniels admits, "It was hard at first, but it's hard to be counter-cultural. The kids didn't know how to act, the teachers didn't know how to act, and so initially there were a lot of fights about the little things, which sucked up some important energy. But now, it's a lot better. During our last faculty meeting everyone agreed that the growth of the leadership among students has been amazing. Kids who would have never done so in the past have stepped forward. And four of the six clusters decided on their own to take time to build in some leadership training."

In the September 2003 issue of Educational Leadership, Hudson Superintendent Sheldon H. Berman described why he felt such an overhaul was necessary. "Developing a strong academic program is crucial," he wrote. "But educators also need to create a school culture that welcomes all students, helps them learn to work together and convinces them of their ability and responsibility to make the world a better place."

More important than anything else, Berman contended, is the belief that young people deserve to learn how to practice their freedom responsibly. "Participating in a democratic community," he wrote, "enables young people to enter the adult world with the skills, values and commitment to actively participate in our civic community."

What Works?

Why, amidst intensifying pressures to raise student scores on statewide proficiency examinations, are some schools spending substantial time on the culture of schools? Nursery Road Principal Mary Kennerly put it this way: "A healthy, respectful school climate is the first step toward a healthy, vibrant learning environment."

She added: "At this time of controversial political and patriotic issues in our nation and our state, it has been healthy and productive for the adults and students in our school community to focus on the civic mission of schools. It has helped us understand concepts that are of utmost importance in a democracy."

Kennerly outlined five chief lessons learned so far about strengthening civic mission of a public school.

* First, the school's leadership must have the passionate belief that citizenship is just as important as academic achievement.

"It's not an either-or proposition," Kennerly said. "I've seen first-hand for years that children who grow up to be successful, productive adults do so because of citizenship training as much and sometimes more than because of high test scores. And when the school leader indicates she believes this is a priority, she provides the room for those teachers who want to take off running with an idea to do so and supports them with time, supplies and the right to make key decisions."

* Second, it is vital to establish a working committee that has scheduled meetings all year and that has release time provided when necessary.

The committee members have to be people who have chosen to be on the committee. Kennerly set up her committees at the beginning of the year. All school goals and committees are listed and everyone needs to serve on at least one so it becomes part of their professional goals for the year.