This is a two part video series both introducing the basics of democratic free schools, an inspiring directly democratic, self-directed school model, as well as fleshing out a critique of certain hyper-individualistic trends within that movement. This critique comes from a place of love from within the free school movement, and can be summarized by the question, “How can we spend so much effort building free, empowered, radically democratic, and communal personalities in our schools and then send the kids out into a broader society that is so profoundly unfree, disempowering, hierarchical, and atomized?”
Editor’s Note: since part two in this video series certainly could stand alone, we’re publishing it first, as we feel it is better suited to the general Tipping Points audience. Part one (below) is a more introductory video and might perhaps be better suited to / shared with those new to SDE.
Part Two
Our passion for freedom doesn’t stop at our school walls. How do we build broader communities that apply the values we cultivate in Democratic Free Schools? Who are our natural allies in this drive for greater autonomy in all aspects of our lives?
Part One
In this video, I call for advocates of democratic free schools to use our shared principles as a lens to look outward, in order to shape the broader world into “democratic free communities” fit for kids raised in freedom and autonomy.
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