Democratic Schooling: Toward a Renewed End-in-View

Democratic Schooling: Toward a Renewed End-in-View Matthew D. Davis University of Texas American political leaders and editorial pundits routinely decry the demise of democratic life in the nation. Voting, at all levels, remains at abysmally low levels. Public rhetoric routinely is shrill, often unseemly; it lacks civility. Political discourse in such an environment is clearly impoverished.1 Combatants for public attention and approval war over visions of the public good. They stand entrenched and immobile, refusing to yield or shift positions. Their ground of disputation frequently is neither level nor common. These tortured circumstances of civic reality are viewed much too often and like so many past and present social problems, as the singular responsibility of the nation's schools. In this view, simply, critics scream their conclusion: schools have failed America. The American democratic fabric is unraveling , so goes the charge, and American schooling is responsible for the mess.2 Education professionals, too, recently have waded back into this inflamed rhetorical fray. These educators appear unwilling to accept as accurate the vicious allegations of schools' ruin and worthlessness. Moreover, they seek to contribute to the restoration of democracy in America. Only recently has the concept of democratic schooling reemerged in the educational dialogue after several decades of dormancy. The rhetoric of the profession now promotes if not lauds democratic administration, classroom teaching, and teacher and student decision making. Books and articles revealing this rhetoric appear with greater frequency. Why has this dialogue so recently reappeared in educational discourse? Perhaps not coincidentally, schools and educators during the 1980s endured a withering attack of criticism. This "manufactured crisis," led mainly by conservative detractors of public schools, was exposed and illuminated earlier this year by David Berliner and Bruce Biddle.3 In their report, they cogently analyzed most, if not all, of the significant charges leveled against the schools. They concluded that the bludgeoning criticisms have no merit and were strung together for a single political purpose: to discredit public schools. In concurrence, "Larry Cuban observe[d that] the American people are the victims of a skillfully concocted scam that diminishes public confidence in schools."4 Educators, not unlike other professionals under siege, do not take kindly to unwarranted attacks and remain angered and cautious. Moreover , this crisis did more. It violated the American sense of fair play, even in a heated contest over important issues. This recently alleged crisis of public schools, too, must be seen as another step in the "conservative restoration"^ initiated in the late 1960s. Indeed, it properly may be traced to intense post-war (1950s) criticism of modernity, including public schools, and the political witch-hunts known as McCarthyism. This more recent movement has attempted, with more than reasonable success, to blunt if not overturn and reverse many of the school equity measures of the "Great Society" legislation.6 Partisans of these changed positions hold strongly to a simple faith: through its intrusion, the federal government took away the very essence of change from local and state school constituencies. Democracy, to these "restorers" of the previously good life of the American past, continues to be lost and must be recaptured from the federal government. Democratic schooling, against this warring background, serves as the standard under which many American educators wish to unite against this belligerent conservative backlash . The resulting political rhetoric echoes the sentiments of 1960s-era change proponents. Equity remains the defensive bulwark. Sensitivity to a numbers mentality envelopes most individuals pledged to the democratic schooling dialogue. At present, they seek a level playing field and distinguish their position as a moral high ground. However, Americans continue to be frustrated because they seem to be no closer to a common ground.7 "With the public interest being constantly redefined to accommodate diversity, the core of common vision shrinks."** Democracy, ironically, is emblazoned on the banners waving over both sets of disputants. Democratic schooling in the American past assuredly seldom included equity issues for all.9 Common and progressive schools stand out prominently in the remembered recent past as supreme failures to include all American children at the societal table of learning. On the other hand, public schooling advocates from common school to postsputnik times...