COMMENTARY
Schools are key to democracy
By Lyla Berg and Mildred Sikkema
For more than 200 years, Americans have shared a vision of a democracy in which all citizens understand, care about and engage actively in civic life and democratic processes.
Public education was established by the framers of the U.S. Constitution to create and sustain a democratic society in our country, to enable active participation in a free society. Public education is the one unifying institution in which people can acquire knowledge and develop dispositions for informed, reasoned engagement in a representative democracy.
Public education in Hawai'i, however, historically was established to maintain a two-tiered society: Those who controlled what occurred economically and politically, and those who were controlled. Caucasians were considered the rulers and non-Caucasians were those ruled. This separated non-Caucasian from Caucasian children and restricted education for non-Caucasians to sixth and not more than eighth grade so they remained as plantation laborers.
As a result, the purpose of public education in Hawai'i was not to create a democratic society but to retain the status quo.
This is the paradigm on which our system still operates, no matter what we say.
Changing the mindset is a challenge and an opportunity. While this change should have happened earlier, it is not too late.
In 2004, the state Legislature passed Act 51, which clearly states the meaning and intent of public education: to create and sustain society as a democracy. It also transferred authority and responsibility for policy and education programs from the Department of Education and the Board of Education to the local school level, where it belongs.
The law clearly states that "ultimately education must do no less than advance the endowment of human culture itself so that each succeeding generation finds itself further along the road toward peace, social justice and environmental sustainability in a society guided by creativity, compassion and curiosity."
But how do we do this? How do we move from one paradigm to another? The encouraging news is that there are school communities that are already beginning "to live" Act 51:
The team helps teachers by supporting their efforts to create relevant learning experiences for students. The school has developed rapport with the Honoka'a Business Association by inviting them onto the campus to learn more about the school and its students.
At this level, from the material from each complex, policies and programs and student learning expectations are formulated as guides for schools. Kapunahala is therefore creating a strong SCC.
Their discussions gravitated to education and concerns about the community. Facilitated by a tireless member of the group, they are demonstrating strong leadership.
Although several members of the group are attending schools on the Mainland, they are still involved and connected with each other through e-mail.
The complex area superintendent is a member of the group, which provides networking opportunities for parents and opportunities to exchange ideas. In this way, the Kane'ohe Community Family Center is working toward having parents assume more stewardship and responsibilities within the group and for their schools.
The complex area superintendent is a consistent participant, as well as business representatives and nonprofit organizations.
Each of these schools and school communities has identified what is most important to that particular school complex. There may be different priorities because there is no one right way for all schools.
Guiding principles are emerging, however. Among them are:
The change envisioned in Act 51 clarifies the role of the Department of Education and the Board of Education as the administrative unit of public education, with the responsibility of working with the broad community to create and implement a plan for stable funding for public schools.
This would be a much-needed step toward fundamental change in the public school system. What if our schools were organized and operated as democratic communities in which everyone is a valued, engaged participant?
"Everyone" includes students, teachers, administrators, parents and community — learning and working together to enact a guiding philosophy for the school, its policies and educational program.
Schools so organized create opportunities for youth and adults to practice civic values and ways of thinking for the common good — essentially, to live civic learning.
Such an environment affords the freedom to learn in ways that motivate. Students in several recent forums in Hawai'i have expressed their desire for this kind of learning atmosphere. Youths become empowered as civic learners and adults contribute to developing graduates who are able to create a healthy economic and socially just society.
If we are sincere about our desire to live as a democratic society in Hawai'i, we must embrace the challenge of looking beyond the status quo and seize this moment to fulfill the civic intention of public education.
Instead of hating what is wrong and trying to fight it, let us learn from the examples of school communities among us to love what can be and make the commitment to bring it forth.
