Protecting Democratic Schools
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Author:
n/a -
Send To:
UN, UNESCO and governments around the world
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Sponsored By:
Summerhill School -
More Info at:
We, the undersigned, urge the UN, UNESCO and all the governments around the world to value and protect democratic schools and those based on children's rights.
This is an urgent need as at a time when governments and the UN are discussing how we can learn to live together in peace, how can we strengthen democracy and the rights of the individual through education, there are schools around the world based on rights and democracy that are threatened with closure.
Summerhill School, England, is the oldest school in the world based on children's rights. The British Government, through its Department of Education and inspection system, threatened it with closure last year. Summerhill won its case in the Royal Courts of Justice and is now the most protected school in Britain. But it ONLY won because it is famous throughout the world, supported by the UN, many politicians and educators, and managed to raise over 160,000 to pay for the country's best barrister and solicitor.
(see website http://www.s-hill.demon.co.uk)
Most democratic schools can not get the same national and international support as Summerhill, and will be closed without such support.
Two schools threatened with closure at the moment are:
1. Auckland Metropolitan College is threatened because Government Inspectors are using criteria for inspection that are not appropriate to the college.
(see website http://www.metro.school.nz)
2. Pei Cheng Autonomous Experimental School, Taiwan is being threatened with closure because of a new Mayor in Jan 2000, Ma Yin Chiu, refusing to let the school register new students. The school had the full support of the previous mayor, Chen Shui Bien.
(see website http://www.first-ask.de/pei-cheng)
To find out more about democratic schools around the world you can visit:
http://www.educationrevolution.org
This is an urgent need as at a time when governments and the UN are discussing how we can learn to live together in peace, how can we strengthen democracy and the rights of the individual through education, there are schools around the world based on rights and democracy that are threatened with closure.
Summerhill School, England, is the oldest school in the world based on children's rights. The British Government, through its Department of Education and inspection system, threatened it with closure last year. Summerhill won its case in the Royal Courts of Justice and is now the most protected school in Britain. But it ONLY won because it is famous throughout the world, supported by the UN, many politicians and educators, and managed to raise over 160,000 to pay for the country's best barrister and solicitor.
(see website http://www.s-hill.demon.co.uk)
Most democratic schools can not get the same national and international support as Summerhill, and will be closed without such support.
Two schools threatened with closure at the moment are:
1. Auckland Metropolitan College is threatened because Government Inspectors are using criteria for inspection that are not appropriate to the college.
(see website http://www.metro.school.nz)
2. Pei Cheng Autonomous Experimental School, Taiwan is being threatened with closure because of a new Mayor in Jan 2000, Ma Yin Chiu, refusing to let the school register new students. The school had the full support of the previous mayor, Chen Shui Bien.
(see website http://www.first-ask.de/pei-cheng)
To find out more about democratic schools around the world you can visit:
http://www.educationrevolution.org
1035 Signatures
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Michael Newman
- Comments
- Without these schools which children can we ask, what is it like in a school based on rights?
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Nathan
- Comments
- Summerhill was the starting ground for my independence and will always hold a large place in my heart. My hope is that these very special schools around the world are valued for the amazing qualitys they have to offer the world as a hole. My support always. - Nathan.
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Gerald Phillips
- Comments
- I unreservedly support the aims and objectives of this petition. I believe, totally, in the existence and furtherance of Democratic Schools.
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Angela Sevin
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Eran Cohen
- Comments
- iam a summerhillian, summerhillians care, u should 2
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Brandon D. WilliamsCraig
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Martin Wilke
- Comments
- A society that claims itself to be democratic must have democratic schools.
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stephanie conrad
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Gayle Remisch
- Comments
- Principal, Banyan Tree Democratic school
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Dawn Ralph
- Comments
- I firmly believe that child led education is an extremely successful and viable method of educating our most important treasure ... our children. Our very future is dependant upon what they decide and how they achieve and fulfill those decisions. It is vital that as many of these schools as possible be kept open. Indeed, instead of trying to close them, we should be facilitating the opening of more of them!
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Christopher DiMeglio
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Malcolm Dow
- Comments
- Disgraceful that a petition is needed at all.
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Lou Brass
- Comments
- Pass this on, tell your friends!
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Jan H.
- Comments
- As ex-summerhillian I know how important alternative schools like Summerhill are(even if it may not work for everyone),no one should think it is a perfect school, though it is a step towards one and not a step away. Closing (or letting it be closed) is a crime,the most undemocratic.
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ANDREW PRIDDING
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Frederick Bay
- Comments
- nothing could be more important
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Hans Lippautz
- Comments
- nothing is better for kid's.
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Valentin Muthers
- Comments
- I am a former pupil and currently employed as a Houseparent. SH should be used and preserved as a model of true democracy.
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Molly S. Raja
- Comments
- My friend Angela started one of these schools in CA. I'm all for it.
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Joan Llenas
- Comments
- Me and my sister; from Spain; support the cause. She and the rest of my family, we all support such initiatives and the ones who have children are even looking for one of these schools, where children can grow up in a natural way, far away from the so called "good" traditional way, based on pressure and sometimes even on violence.
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Chris Berni
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Judy Watson
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Douglas Woodard
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Richard Herring
- Comments
- Democracy/Freedom for children is the only posible hope for any kind of peace in this world. Happy Children=Happy Adults. Happy Adults=Peaceful Neighborhood. Peaceful Neighborhood=Peaceful Community.etc.
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Mark Pryor
- Comments
- In a time when governments are trying to find new solutions to current and future world issues it is imperative that they not rely on methods of the past, for they are, perhaps, the cause of the problems. Therefore, I urge you keep open and treasure other avenues and forms of education such democratic schools.
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David Rovner
- Comments
- I favor ending government involvement in education, working for the Advancement of Democratic Schools, the Freedom of Learning, Individual Rights and Ayn Rand's philosophy in Israel.
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Steven Reid
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Bruce Reid
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Amnon Danieli
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michael kaslassy
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Elizabeth Reid
- Comments
- I went to democratic schools and they are the best!
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Lisa Lees
- Comments
- I'm an unschooler, but value democratic schools!
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tallya gabay
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Christoph Klein
- Comments
- take democracy serious!
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Steffen Uebele
- Comments
- Democratic Schools are necessary for our democratic life
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Baron Abbotsford, SOGL
- Comments
- Manifesto 2000 for a culture of Peace and Non-Violence http://www.unesco.org/manifesto2000/default.asp?part=ind/usa/369/uxu
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Tim Johnson
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K. Seeger
- Comments
- As a studied teacher from Germany I appreciate the ideas and the valuable work done by Summerhill. It's unchanged existance is absolutely necessary to show us how well democratic education can work.
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Helen Hughes
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bjцrn traeder
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Roy Bland
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Joy Wharton
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Jessica G
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Georg Jдhnig
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Susan Starling
- Comments
- I support the principles upon which democratic schooling is based without reservation and hope that the number of democratic schools will continue to increase and that none of these extremely valuable places of learning will be closed.
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Rudolf Schier
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Alan A. Klein
- Comments
- Freedom of choice is a vital cause!
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Melissa Millman
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jamie darr-hall
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Ian McKay
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1035
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