The School as a Democratic Workplace: The Political Dimension of Dewey’s Democracy and Education

In Democracy and Education, John Dewey argued that teachers should have control over their own work. He was, though, not only concerned about workplace democracy for teachers. He also argued against the philosophical underpinnings of educational policies that reproduced social hierarchies in the workplace.

The main arguments of Dewey’s book support teachers’ autonomy and students’ equality. When these arguments are read in light of what he wrote about democracy in many other works, they appear to be arguments for workplace democracy. These arguments raise questions about school management that are highly relevant today when prevalent views favor a culture of control.