School democracy
Sir: In my article 'can a School Be a Democratic Society' (September 15) I did not wish to suggest that democratic procedures should be excluded from schools. I thought that was clear when I wrote, "School councils of pupils and members of local communities may have their uses in the social control aspects of school life and may even be able to be organised in a fashion closely akin to that of a political democracy." Mr Elphick (Letters, September 22) is thus a little unfair when he accuses me of arguing from "fantastic anecdotes" and of ",indulging in philosophical speculation" and not visiting democratically-run schools.
The history anecdote was deliberately extreme — in order to indicate the logical nonseme in the curriculum of what is after all the key procedure of democracy. And of course I have visited (and taught in) what may be called, in an appropriate way,
" democratically-run ' schools. Indeed, .1 find Mr Elphick's description of democracy at Kirkdale School perfectly splendid provided such democracy has little to do with the school's central curriculum activities.
John H. Chambers
Maria Grey College, 300 St Margaret's Road, Twickenham.
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