Summary: | This essay is a comparative research between pupils' experience of how the headmaster, teachers and other school staff interpret and apply the democratic education. The results are based on a survey carried out in senior high school, as well as interviews with the school staff. The democratic education charge has a long history of Swedish school system and is the basis for the maintenance of a democratic society. Both policy paper of state investigations and researchers in the field, regard to school as the primary and unique instance in order to promote and develop democratic skills in children and young people. However, it is shown that those who come out from school lack of knowledge and awareness of democracy and the will to speak their mind. The increased globalization and the rapidly changing society places great demands on the individual in order to maintain a democratic society in future. The school staff within this study is very aware of the democratic education charge but points out that time for joint discussion and clarification of the charge towards the pupils would facilitate the work, this is confirmed by the pupils that to a large extent believes that the school system is working in accordance with what political papers says, but it does not take place in the same way and to the same degree among all the staff. There are also students who are not aware of the school democracy education mission. Pupils and staff have a common view of what democracy means and the skills required in future democratic society, especially communication skills. Something that indicates that the school system still manage to carry out its mission in spite of the fact that it is not expressed or evaluated. The staff carries out the democratic education charge on somewhat different ways could be interpreted as the school's view on the concept of democracy is alive and in accordance with the definition.
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