Philadelphia Free School aims for democratic education model

Maddy Winters knows what she wants. Yes to ballet, no to soccer, yes to astronomy, and definitely yes to hanging out with the older crowd of third and fourth graders on her block.

Just 3 years old, she begged to go to school, but the local public school just won't do for her parents, Mark Filippone and Marie Winters. In September, Maddy will be enrolled at the Philadelphia Free School, where she will continue to decide what she wants to do all day long.

The Free School, which plans to launch a pilot program in January in South Philadelphia for students ages 4 to 18, follows a democratic model of education, meaning no tests, no curriculum, no bells every 45 minutes, no separation into grades, and no teachers. The adults at the school will be called "staff" and be elected by the students each year. The students will also vote on the school's budget and serve on a judicial committee that deliberates on misbehaving peers.

The concept of free school began in England in 1921 with the Summerhill School. Its founder, A.S. Neill, believed children would develop intellectually through self-regulation. Their natural curiosities would lead them to learn what they needed to live in adult society: reading, basic arithmetic, and proficiency in the field they chose.

The movement has spread around the world, with controversy following closely behind it. Free schools gained popularity in the United States during the 1960s, but emphasized freedom over responsibility, according to some experts. Today's interpretation puts equal emphasis on freedom and responsibility, which its supporters say reflects the democratic society in which we live.

"Most children do not experience the fundamental ideals of law-abiding citizenship, due process, individual enterprise, and equal voice in governance until after their formal schooling has ended," said Jim Rietmulder, cofounder of the Circle School in Harrisburg.

Robert and Michelle Loucas, former public-school teachers and cofounders of the Philadelphia Free School, moved to the city eight years ago with the intention of opening a school similar to Circle. While there are other private alternative schools in the area, the Loucases said their school would be the first to have no curriculum.

"If [the students] had the chance to run their own school, they could certainly do better than what we were doing for them," said Robert Loucas, who has taught at free schools in Maryland and California.