A Democratic View of “No Child Left Behind”

A Democratic View of "No Child Left Behind" Cindy Finnell-Gudwien For those of us living in America, across all ages, races, and geographic areas, there exists an often unspoken concept of what democracy means. From a very young age, our children are taught about the freedoms of our country, the Bill of Rights, the precepts and history of the Constitution. Drive through any city in the United States today, and you will see countless ((support our soldiers" signs and American flags proudly waving from porches and automobiles, professing our patriotic love of all things for which democracy stands. Americans know and feel a sense of democracy, even if they are often unable to verbalize it in a precise manner. The following is a theoretical framework that attempts first, drawing from John Dewey, Henry Giroux, Peter Hlebowitsh, and others, to set forth five basic tenets of democracy with which most Americans would agree and then car­ ries over those tenets to the democratic education that is suggested by this framework. Finally, the congressional act known as No Child Left Behind will be examined through the lens of this framework. What Is Democracy? Democracy is based on a shared social spirit ofmutual interests. A democracy is comprised of people who share mutual interests and a spirit of commitment to these interests. In America, these interests include the well-being, liberty, and equality of all. The common problems, issues, and values of the population are respected, reconstructed, and addressed through the de­ mocracy (Hlebowitsh, 1985). For Boyd Bode, this spirit of common interests and purposes was the most important aspect of a democracy (1937). Democracy is based on a community ofcooperation andfree interaction between so­ cial groups. According to Dewey, a democracy is made up of people who participate in full and free interaction between various communities of people. These frequent changes in social habit involve readjustment, reorganization, and ultimately pro­ gress through the new situations produced as a result of wider relationships and intercourse. A group that isolates itself with the intent of protecting its own in­ terests and keeping its status quo will become static and rigid (Dewey, 1916). E&C/Education and Culture 21(2) (2005): 3-11 • 3 4 • Cindy Finnell-Gudwien Adding to this are James Macdonald and David Purpel, who write that in a de­ mocratic community, "democracy means participation and community means people in communication and communion" (1987, p. 183). lt follows, then, that a democracy is indeed based on participatory interaction between groups ofpeople. Democracy is based on the belief that society will continue to reorganize and pro­ gress. Dewey (1916) argued that a democratic society does not rely on a set of customs forced upon its members by a controlling upper class. Rather, it is in­ tentionally progressive, ever widening its interests, encouraging its members to act continuously as guardians over the democracy. According to Henry Giroux, democracy is dynamic by nature and should never be reduced to a set of "inher­ ited principles and institutional arrangements" (1990, p. 364). Democracy as­ sumes that its people will continue over time to provide insight and criticism leading to continued growth and progress. Democracy is based on respect f or individuals. This tenet, of course, is one with which every American is familiar. A de­ mocratic society respects its people, despite gender, race, or economic status. In­ dividuality is not only accepted but encouraged as well. As Hlebowitsh (1985) writes, a democracy is socially conscious, respectful of the individual, and it must endorse experiences for both the collective and individual gain of its people. Democracy is based on the belief that all useful services are valued, not only eco­ nomically f avorable ones. In writing about democracy, Dewey advocated, as most Americans would today, that the members of the community must all contribute to society, that a "social return be demanded from all" (1916, p. 122). Furthermore, he added that this return can be cultural or industrial, an intellectual affair or a social service. In other words, all contributions to society, offered at the capacity of the indi­ vidual, are worthy. In addition, all of the citizens of a democratic society are enti­ tled to the possibilities...