Democratic Education for Dummies

"Schools in societies that are trying in various ways to be democracies such as the United States, Mexico, and Canada, are obliged to develop public citizens." -Walter C. Parker It's important to teach democracy in U.S. public schools because "schools educate citizenship: (Parker, p. 3). In a democracy, people govern. As Jefferson, believed at the beginning of the United States' founding, the people must be educated. Their education is imperative in continuing with the American way of life. The democratic principles that early Americans established require education of societal norms. These principles are to ensure the survival of a democratic society. In order to thrive as individuals, we must grow as a community. Walter Parker's "Teaching Against Idiocy" cites many examples of how important it is for the community to work in unison at the greater good of society. The greater good is for all people, not just the individual. In order for individuals to succeed they must put in effort and realize their role in the community. Parker blatantly states, "The idiot is one whose self-centeredness undermines his or her citizen identity." Parker is attempting to teach citizens that they must learn to preserve their freedoms. In a democracy where people govern themselves they must understand they will lose their established freedoms if they don't maintain the community. The community secures the desired conditions of its people. The American way of life is in jeopardy if U.S. citizens look only at their material possessions. American must understand that if only they succeed; the larger whole whom are repressed will make necessary changes to achieve their desired success, equality. When a community thrives, each individual will succeed. This is the democratic principle, for the people; it doesn't read for the person. Education itself is a step towards the success of democracy and a democratic society. However, it is an ideal and can fail if its maintenance is not kept up. Progress is taking place at its own pace as is always the case. To progress, new ideas must be understood and worked toward together. "United we stand, divided we fall." Previous ideas continually addressed are racism, ethnocentrism, and nationalistic variety. Whereby, improvements have been seen and continue to be made. This is a result of education. Education is a step at equalizing people. It is a step taken to unify students because they are the future, a team together. What now needs to be addressed is how democracy is being taken for granted by American "idiots" who don't realized the can lose their freedoms. Preservation of freedom is the main reason it is important to educate citizens of the United States. It is necessary for the social good, a democratic community. This culture's norms and social consciousness are preserved by the "essentials", a.k.a. qualities Americans come up with working toward a better way. Hard work at educating and understanding democracy is imperative to living together freely with justice and equality.

Another School Shooting

What a tragedy! Have you heard? In Cleveland, Ohio there was a school shooting at a high school. A 14 year old boy opened fire at teachers and classmates. It's scary to think that these places where students should feel safe can jeopardize their lives. I feel afraid, going into the profession but what scares me most is considering what it will be like to send my children. Obviously, we can't keep our children safe 24/7 but one place where it should be simple is in school buildings. With all the precautions taking place, there is still no guarantee.

"The free common school system is the most American thing about America." -Adlai Stevenson

Free common schools were established early in American history, as a means of ensuring the survival and stability of the newly formed nation. It was imperative to many, that people have equal opportunities in a newly forming nation. This was the ideal used to provide free schooling to American youths, advocates Horace Mann. Horace Mann wanted schools to be properly maintained and run efficiently. Many things contribute to the schools' systems. Sadly, many battles and struggles arose while setting up public school form. One battle was protecting the Irish from slander in text books. The end result was great. It provided a strong backbone of moral and social norms to ensure the "Americanization" of the citizens of the United States. Americanization takes place in public schools. This is why our public schools previously known as common schools are the most American thing about America. American identity and history can be studied and further understood by studying the schools, texts, educators, and curriculum. We learn about the good and bad parts of our system. So that we together can decide what's wrong with Americanization taking place inside our schools; then decide how to remedy problems found. Changes made are the stepping stones in our growth as a nation. As individuals in schools grow, so too does America continues to develop. These developments are necessary because, "nothing is distributed evenly across the United States." (Harold Hodgkinson) As education persists, the differences among Americans can, and will subside. We will remain individuals but we will exist as cultural equals, Americans. We are learning about the inequalities that exist and making progress at changing them. One such change that is taking place is multicultural education in the classroom. This is proof Americans have accepted a need for cultural assimilation. Schools are successfully assimilating students into young citizens. America is being made stronger by the opportunities provided by public schools.