Creating Laboratories of Democracy: The First Amendment Schools Project

A Forum — December 9, 2002

Background

The First Amendment School Project seeks to teach students the rights and responsibilities associated with the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Sponsored by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) and the First Freedom Forum’s First Amendment Center, eleven schools have been selected to serve as project schools. These elementary, middle, and high schools, chosen from a national grant competition, serve urban, suburban, and rural communities and reflect the demographic, cultural, and socioeconomic diversity of communities across the U.S.

Over the next several years, Project Schools will work teach the First Amendment by providing their students with an apprenticeship in liberty and responsibility. Schools will fashion themselves as laboratories of democracy in which students learn how to be democratic citizens by practicing democracy.

At this forum, moderated by Charles Haynes, senior scholar at the Freedom Forum’s First Amendment Center, representatives of Project Schools described some of the challenges they have faced in their efforts to become laboratories of democracy as well as the different ways that they have addressed some of these challenges.

Forum Summary

Michael Wildasin, First Amendment Schools Project Director, introduced the First Amendment Schools Project and its four goals: 1) to create laboratories of democratic freedom by providing students and all members of the school community with substantial opportunities to practice democracy; 2) to commit to inalienable rights and civic responsibility by providing all members of the school community with daily opportunities to exercise their constitutional rights with responsibility; 3) to include all stakeholders by encouraging parents, students, educators, and community members to work closely together to promote a shared vision of the First Amendment throughout the school culture; and 4) to translate civic education into community engagement through service learning and civic problem-solving. Michael explained that during this first year of working with the Project Schools, the project has focused on building the schools’ capacity for shared governance and problem- and project-based learning.

Charles Haynes, moderator of the discussion, reiterated the importance of the civic mission of public schooling. While the civic mission has always been a central mission of schooling, in the post-Sept. 11 world, it is even more essential that schools renew their commitment to education for democratic citizenship. He argued that if we are to prepare students for the challenges of democratic citizenship, it is not sufficient to pass laws about the Pledge or to require courses in civic education: Schools must create a culture of democracy in which students have opportunities to learn the meaning of democracy, freedom, and responsibility through daily experiences.

Sheldon Berman, Superintendent of Hudson Public Schools in Hudson, Massachusetts, responded to a question from Charles about what it means to educate for freedom and responsibility. Sheldon explained that, at heart, it involves the belief that education is more than the transmission of knowledge and skills; it is about creating a democratic public. He argued that to teach the idea of democracy to children, educators must convey to students that they are valued and contributing members of a community; children must also have experiences of direct participation to find their voices and develop a sense of social responsibility. Educators need to create democratic communities in which students can live the experience of democracy. In the post-Columbine and Sept. 11 world, many schools have increased the rigidity of their security procedures; given its beliefs about education and democracy, however, Hudson has moved in the opposite direction, working even harder than before to create caring and personal learning communities. Hudson has also held forums with students to identify issues of common concern and to work on building a sense of community with the school. They are currently trying to figure out how best to structure the school to support the creation of community and to teach democracy. Sheldon emphasized that the struggle to teach democracy in schools is not easy; it is complex, messy, and difficult; however, it is essential.

Irasema Salcido, Principal and Founder of Cesar Chavez Charter High School for Public Policy, addressed giving parents, teachers, and students a sense of shared decision-making. She said that it is possible and schools have an obligation to do so. For it to happen, teachers must have some authority to make decisions and parents and teachers must make a commitment to a shared vision for the school.

Franklin Sellers, a student at Cesar Chavez High School, spoke about student involvement in a Project School. He explained that having a voice in the school and its decision making is very important to students and he discussed how Chavez’s students have been directly involved in the development of the school’s constitution. Educators at his school teach students the way to balance freedom with responsibility by providing a space within the classroom where students are free to express their opinions and to disagree with one another, the teacher, and the authors of the books they read.

Charles asked panelists how they would respond to educators who claim that in this era of standards and high-stakes accountability, they are under too much pressure and simply don’t have the time to teach for democracy. Sheldon acknowledged that schools under an extraordinary amount of pressure right now. He argued, however, that teaching for democracy and creating a culture that supports education for democratic citizenship are essential to achieving high standards of learning for all students. Democratic school cultures foster increased student engagement and motivation to learn and without this type of culture, student learning will not advance past a certain point. Sheldon stated that the role of the superintendent should be to create a buffer for schools so they can accomplish their mission. Irasema agreed that schools are under a great deal of pressure and that teaching for democracy supports the academic mission of the school by showing students that learning has a purpose. She argued that it is important to send a message that all students can achieve high standards; however, it is also important that Washington send the message that the democratic mission of the schools is central to education.

Sheldon argued that the nation’s priorities are reflected in what we choose to test. Under No Child Left Behind, social studies is not tested and is not regarded as a core area of the curriculum. He suggested that, given the centrality of the democratic mission of the schools, perhaps we should track the voting records of 18-24 year olds and hold schools accountable for student civic engagement. Both Irasema and Sheldon agreed that policymakers need to send a message to the public and educators that the civic mission is central to the work of the schools.

Charles and Irasema also addressed concrete ways to give students experiences practicing their First Amendment Rights responsibly. Sheldon gave an example of a program that, beginning in the early elementary years, has children become involved in advocacy around a particular issue such as wetlands preservation. Through such programs, children learn how to express their views responsibly to other members of their community and to see how change takes place over extended periods of time. Irasema discussed the student newspaper and a Web-based discussion forum as examples of places in which students have opportunities to express their views on controversial topics. Students have also been involved in making decisions about the school schedule and the development of the school’s constitution. These opportunities allow staff to model appropriate behaviors, helping students learn how to listen, express their views, and disagree respectfully. Franklin said that within classrooms, students are also given an opportunity to express their views and engage in reasoned discussion with one another.

In response to a question about the possibility of large schools becoming laboratories of democracy, Sheldon and Irasema acknowledged the multiple challenges that size poses; however, they argued that it is possible to create smaller learning environments by breaking large schools into smaller sub-schools in which students and teachers can come to know one another well and develop a sense of community.

Charles, Sheldon, and Irasema discussed the controversies that arise when teaching for democracy. They agreed that it is essential to get the community involved in the schools from the outset and to help them understand the civic mission that the schools are tying to achieve. This lays the groundwork in the case that controversies or disagreements develop out of student activism within schools and the community. All three also agreed that controversy is best handled by helping students develop civic habits of the heart; that is, children must come to learn, through repeated experiences, that rights are coupled with responsibilities to their communities.

Charles concluded the forum on a hopeful note: Although the intense pressures associated with the standards and accountability movement are unlikely to decrease any time soon, there are some signs that the present administration realizes the importance of the civic mission of public education. Over the next several years, it is hoped that the Project Schools will further reinforce the civic mission of schooling, as well as provide models and tools that other schools can use in their efforts to teach the meaning of democracy.

American Youth Policy Forum   1836 Jefferson Place NW,  Washington DC 20036
Telephone 202-775-9731      |      Fax 202-775-9733      |     Email aypf@aypf.org