Amy Gutmann

Gutmann Democracy and Education Amy Gutmann's book, Democracy in Education, is a thoughtful analysis of the philosophical foundations of education in a democratic state. She investigates the issue of who should share responsibility for the education of democratic citizens. In her investigation, Gutmann tackles a number of complex issues including academic freedom, book burning, teacher's unions, and public support for private schools in the context of this debate. Overall, her analysis of the issue is both thorough and enlightening.

Ultimately, Gutmann comes to the almost inevitable conclusion that the responsibility for education of democratic citizens is the citizens of a democratic state, acting on their own behalf either privately, or through their democratically elected representatives. In this slim 316-page work, Gutmann tackles the enormous challenge of assessing the philosophical foundations of the state of public education in a democratic nation. Her analysis is a valuable look at what groups should be endowed with the authority to shape public education in a democratic state.

Gutmann sees the role of education in a democracy as both an educational and a political issue. Further, she argues that "education not only sets the stage for democratic politics, it plays a central role in it" (p 3). Thus, this dual role creates one of the most important moral questions in politics: who "should share the authority to influence the way democratic citizens are educated?" (p 3). Gutmann's task is not easy.

It calls to mind the democratic principles of the founding fathers, and creates an image of the democratic nation that de Tocqueville envisioned. Thus, the success of her arguments is all the more satisfying. Her book is a well-documented, intelligent discussion in the finest academic and democratic tradition. Her final theory is clear, concise, and well thought out. Gutmann is clearly qualified to write such a book. She is a founding director of the University Center for Human Values at Princeton University and a Laurence S. Rockefeller University Professor.

Her other works include Democracy and Disagreement, Ethics and Politics, and Freedom of Association. The range of topics that Gutmann tackles in her look into the philosophical foundation of public education is certainly impressive and exhaustive. Gutmann looks at the case against book banning from a democratic perspective, and provides a thorough analysis of academic freedom in the same context. In addition, Gutmann looks at how teacher's unions impact education in democracy. The concept of public support for private schools also catches Gutmann's eye.

Affirmative action in college admissions is another of Gutmann's topics, as is the concept of antidiscrimination law. Gutmann's book is a much more philosophical look at education than the often cited Democracy and Education by John Dewey. In Democracy and Education, Dewey argues strongly for the complete overhaul of public education, including joining contemplative and vocational subjects, and the requirement for universal education. In contrast, Gutmann never goes so far as to make such strong claims.

Instead, her book is a rare and valuable look at the democratic theory behind education. She argues that a theory of education is needed in order to allow for the proper analysis and debate of ideas of public education.

She notes, "When the theory remains implicit, we cannot adequately judge its principles or the policy prescriptions that flow from them." Further, if we avoid theory, we "do not collectively know good educational policy when we see it; we cannot make good educational policy by avoiding political controversy; nor can we make principled educational policy without exposing our principles and investigating their implications" (p 6).

Further, Gutmann makes the case that this theory of education must be essentially democratic in nature, and argues convincingly for the importance of education in a democratic nation. Gutmann sees the role of public schools in a democracy as a vehicle to educate future citizens of that democracy, enabling them to play a role in responsible self-government. These elements of responsible self-government include respect for liberty and opportunity, as well as a respect for the debate over political issues.

It is the teaching of these important elements that serves the foundation for publicly subsidizing education in a democratic nation. One small criticism of the book is its fleeting treatment of the role of race and multiculturalism in education in a democratic nation. However, Gutmann thoughtfully tackles that topic elsewhere in her writings. In her essay, Challenges of Multiculturalism in Democratic Education, Gutmann argues, "democratic education can integrate.