Choice and Agency Is Democracy In Action

Does Belonging Thwart Democracy?

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Episode 38 of 49 episodes

From: Kerry
re: Story about Rodney…and Roberta
To: Chance sent - Gmail 6:22 AM

Hi Chance—

Of course……I completely agree with you.

How will the next generation going to participate in democracy if they don’t have a chance to learn about it and practice it in schools?

Of the people, by the people, and for the people is hard work. Every day…every month…every year…every election….

I fear that we are not educating enough people to maintain democracy.

I already see that too many people did not learn about it when they were in school……and now with social media amplifying all kinds of misinformation and some states even passing laws about what can and can’t be taught in public schools, I wonder if democracy can survive.

The time has come to start teaching about social media, news, and critical thinking in the 4th or 5th grade.

How many adults do you know who are saying: Why wasn’t I taught this in school? They might be talking about systemic slavery, current race relations in this country, or how politics and power influence our everyday life.

Kids who are brought up in the public schools today need to learn about a world filled with different perspective so that they can critically evaluate everything for themselves. Each citizen in the democracy needs to know how to evaluate what they see on social media in order to create their own understanding about various perspectives.

Marketing and influence works…for the marketer or the influencer….because some of the time marketer’s goals and influencer’s goals are not based on accurate information or believable situations, but are used to exploit people…for money, or loyalty, or a vote….

Once again, I am on an early morning rant……I don’t want students today to think that the person with the highest grades, highest test scores and the most money should automatically have the most power and prestige and control in this country.

It is not right….but, that it is the educational system we are living with…Why, oh why, can’t we move away from this testing mania?

It is like pulling up a plant every year to look at the roots to see how the plant is growing……and if the roots of that plant are not thriving in the way that is being judged by people who have never even been in a garden, the gardener get all the blame……and gifted teachers (gardeners) like Rodney and Roberta throw up their hands and leave the profession.

We do not have a teacher shortage problem in this country….We have a teacher retention problem because of an educational system that demoralizes teachers.

That is why I am working so hard to establish this new decision-making system at my school….It is why I am doing the work of three people to change my own little public school world.

I want the kids at my school to see the teachers making decisions….hard decisions…difficult decisions……I want students to experience their own decision-making in the classroom and to want it for themselves when they are adults.

I wonder if the motivation to belong and conform is more powerful than the motivation to stand up for oneself?

Kerry