democratic Citizens
Schools are crucial to preparing students to live in and support our democratic society, responsible for: earning a wage with which they can support themselves, their families, and contribute to social institutions; being informed, discerning voters; being responsible to serve on a jury, resolve disputes, and decide the liberty of their neighbors. They need to learn how social, economic, cultural, and political systems support our democracy. They need to learn the history that has advanced us to this moment, and how to think critically about how society can progress, to provide more opportunity to more people. These capacities and mindsets need to be developed starting in the earliest grades, with curriculum that makes democratic values like responsibility explicit, that addresses issues of equity, including practices like those of restorative justice.
A democracy is not born once, existing forever more. Democracy must be reborn every day, by citizens who dedicate themselves to the ideal of democracy: the ideals that individuals matter, that they are each endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that we join together in communities of responsibility to pursue the common good, that we disagree and sharpen our opinions not only by learning from people with whom we already agree but by arguing with people who contribute different facts, weigh our shared values differently, and draw different opinions.
What is the work?
Developing rigor and democratic habits of mind. Implementing and supporting programs that align with the highest values of our democracy. Insisting and interrogating equity throughout your community.
How you can join in?
In June 2026, I presented a paper at the Braver Angels National Convention in Philadelphia as part of the Civic Scholars Council. The convention focused on courageous citizenship. My paper focuses on the role of K-12 schools in preparing young people for democratic life with the content, skills, and habits of mind of a courageous citizen.
In October 2026, I facilitated a workshop at the Collaborative for Spirituality in Education's (CSE's) Biennial Summit, "Awakened Education: Engaging the Spiritual Core in Whole Person Formation". The session focused on spirituality, courageous citizenship, and K-12 schools, during which I shared this revised paper, a Framework for Cultivating Courageous Citizenship in K-12 Schools, and these handy teacher planning cards.
Teachers are invited to collaborate in the further development and piloting of the Framework. (Stipends may be offered for participating teteachers.) Contact spear@vitalschools.us if you are interested!
At any time, I welcome you to join the community of students, educators, families, and community members interested in the challenge and opportunity. Start by filling out this form so that you can stay in the loop. Then, check out the resources available here. And consider sharing other resources people might use in schools to cultivate courageous citizenship!