Restructuring Schools for Democracy: Principals’ Perspectives

Abstract

Currently there is renewed emphasis among theorists and practitioners on democratic schooling. Although frequently equated with school governance, democratic schooling extends beyond governance structures into all aspects of school and classroom practice. What democratic schooling means for the practices of principals, however, is unclear. In democratic schools principals not only no longer sit at the apex of the governance hierarchy but they must also discover what it means to be a democratic school in the various arenas of school policy and practice. What are appropriate practices for principals in democratic schools? This study addressed this question via a qualitative study of principals in schools striving to become more democratic. Three themes were identified that characterized the practices of principals in these schools: expanding involvement in school decision making and discourse, focusing attention on connections, and promoting inquiry around core beliefs.