Democracy at Risk

Schools are uniquely suited environments for teaching democracy. Students can learn the habit of democracy through observation and imitation and in coursework that requires them to reflect on practice, read what others have thought, and develop alternative ideas. Schools need to scour the day for options that should belong to both learners and teachers as they practice the trade of democracy. As with other members of the Coalition of Essential Schools, Mission Hill School in Boston, Massachusetts, focuses on honing the habits of mind that are most central to an informed and intelligent democratic citizenry.