In conjunction with the inauguration of Cristle Collins Judd as its 11th president, Sarah Lawrence College is hosting a yearlong series of events exploring the theme “Democracy and Education.” The series engages critical issues facing the US and other societies around the world: What are the essential elements of a “democracy”? Who gets to be a “citizen” and why? How do we learn to speak to one another across deep ideological divides? How do we ensure broad access to learning that promotes individual and societal well-being in the context of rapid, often unpredictable change? And what is the role that education—and higher education, in particular—must play?
Sarah Lawrence College has a history of confronting difficult issues that challenge our society as a whole. John Dewey’s landmark book from 1916, Democracy and Education, serves as our catalyst to ask: What does “democracy and education” mean in 2017? This series of inaugural events serves as an invitation to the Sarah Lawrence community, to those in higher education, and to engaged individuals everywhere to join the conversation.
#SLCDemocracyEducation
What does Democracy and Education mean to you? Share your thoughts—in video, writing, or photos—with us on social media using the hashtag #SLCDemocracyEducation. Here's what others are saying:
Lauren Berman ’96
“...the children were the embodiment of democracy. John Dewey explains, 'Democracy is more than a form of government; it is primarily a form of associated living, of conjoint communicated experiences' (Democracy and Education, 1916). Hearing the children empowered to use their own voices, and for those voices to be allowed as the predominant chorus, gives me hope that American institutions such as the Early Childhood Center can continue to be the collective chorus for democracy in the face of our present national climate.”—The Words Every Young Child Should Hear at School