This book asks what would it means to take democracy seriously in today's debates about school reform. Its six chapters offer case studies, examples, and conversation starters for teachers, administrators, and citizens who wish to build on the contribution of each and every citizen. The first chapter explores the current emphasis on economic competition as the rationale for school reform, finding it wanting on both economic and educational grounds. Chapter 2 situates conflicting understandings of democracy and democratic education in both historical and ideological perspectives. Chapter 3, "The School and the Quest for a Multicultural Democracy," discusses the kind of democratic society for which schools should prepare people and presents multiculturalism as an essential way of viewing the curriculum and the task of the school. The next chapter discusses the individual student and the ongoing debates among progressive educators regarding the individual child versus the society. Chapter 5 examines the role of technology in a democratic educational system and the tools that must always be tested in the larger democratic context. The last chapter looks at the preparation of the next generation of teachers, particularly reforms in teacher education over the last 20 years. (Contains an index and approximately 320 references.) (RJM)