The meanings and roles of democracy and education, and the interaction of the two, are some of the most difficult questions society faces. The definition of democracy varies widely from a political mechanism to an ideal. Past efforts to infuse democracy into schools have generally been of two types. One is requiring a greater role for teachers in school decision making. The other is greater community involvement or control in education. Research has shown that neither form of school democracy has resulted in much improvement in education or student learning. An alternative to these approaches is that schools must embody democracy and make it a part of education. Democracy must be taught as a characteristic of society, not the individual. Also, it should be more than a political mechanism; at its best it is a way of life. The connection between democracy and education has to do with their common role in a moral view of life. Schools should adopt the norms of democratic practice and foster involvement, reason, and knowledge over rank, tolerance, and community. A new view of students must also be adopted where they are more capable and expected to be involved in their education. (Contains 59 references.) (JPT)