Keith Benson

Civics, Citizenship and Social Education

Dr. Beth Rubin
9.13.2006

What is the connection between education and democracy? How has this connection
been understood in the US? What is thought to be appropriate education for the citizens
of a democratic society?

In answering the above questions for this week’s readings, I have arrived at the

opinion (possibly pre-maturely), that the idea of democratic education is almost an

oxymoron. The ideal or idea of democratic education can be equally parallel to the term

“plastic silver wear” – the two cannot exist simultaneously. Alan Griffin, I believe,

captures this concept in his work, Teaching Authoritarian and Democratic States. The

concept I believe he is communicating, is that because the teacher is an agent of a highly

ideological institution, the school, he/she cannot possibly be truly democratic. Teachers in

the classroom, in particular social studies teachers, are not neutral purveyors of

information. The social studies/civic teacher, Griffin argues, is therefore, merely the

medium by which a set a pre-approved doctrines and beliefs are communicated. Because

of the aforementioned circumstance, social studies teachers will always be more

authoritarian and totalitarian, than democratic.

Within the social studies classroom, democracy can exist only if the student

willfully and unquestionably, accepts what it is taught. Democracy, in the social studies

classroom, actually depends on student subservience and submissiveness. To that end,

Griffin argues there is very little difference from the totalitarian classroom and the

“democratic” classroom. “I find no differences between a democratic society and a

totalitarian state; differences in the specific content of the value hierarchy will not support

any such distinction, since they are common enough as between two dictatorships.

(Walker, 92)”

In the United States, the relationship between democracy and education seems to

be nearly non-existent. The democratic classroom should try to “educate children in such

a way as to fashion them for the demands of an increasingly diverse society. (Walker, 2)”

Americans who were and are schooled in this nation are, in most cases, taught to be

aware of, and appreciate America’s diverse social landscape. But that noble and truly

democratic ideal seems rarely practiced schools. Typically, in both path and present,

schools have never truly been willing to be inclusive or truly democratic; but rather

geared to a singular demographic of student. Gloria Ladson-Billings, in Differing

Concepts of Citizenships, states, “Too often curricula treat all students as if they were

white, middle class, natural born citizens. (Billings, 75)”

The fact that curricula in schools across the country are largely aimed toward one

audience is understandable; however, due to America’s largely white demographic. And

also, the fact that most students across the country are taught the same pre-screened, pre-

approved lesson attempts to accomplish a goal of socializing individuals for life in this

American society. As Griffin suggests, widely accepted, common beliefs can unite people

and streamline acceptance into American and, for that matter, any society. “Social

coherence and unity are guaranteed by instilling preferred values and beliefs, holding

these values as above or beyond question, keeping out of people’s experiences which

might cast doubt upon the preferred beliefs. (Walker, 85)”

 By and large, appropriate education for the citizens of democratic society has

been, and remains to be, one that stresses acceptance of widely held beliefs and that of

submissiveness and assimilation to those citizens within that society. Dewey stresses the

need for people to view themselves as part of a larger, grander mosaic. He argues that

democracy and vision of a unified society breakdown when people choose deviate from

of society’s accepted norms. Society needs submissive individuals and achieves it

through socialization. Those who choose not to accept those confines contribute to the

breakdown of society. Dewey stresses the need for citizens to be educated in a way that

considers the “broader public, the bigger public for a commonwealth.” The problem with

Dewey’s view of common-ness is that, increasingly, this country is becoming more

diverse and, less common.

Billings noted that Andrzejewski and Alessio’s observations on “school based

citizenship has a heavy focus on compliance. (Billings, 76)” She goes to comment that

even some higher educated students have a narrow view of democratic citizenship. A

sample of college students polled by Andrzejewski and Alessio believed “saluting the

flag” and reciting the “Pledge of Allegiance” is an example of good citizenship.

Democratic education, under the pre-texts of submission, socialization and

pseudo-patriotism is not democracy at all. True democracy, as the readings suggest, is the

acceptance of everything or, accepting not accept anything at all.