Check out democratic education in the media.

IDEA shares movies, music, books, magazines, websites, and other media that advance democratic education and get people thinking. More to come!

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Books and Movies

You can find many books and movies on democratic education through the online store of the Alternative Education Resource Organization (AERO).

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Education-Themed Movies

Accepted - A high school slacker who's rejected by every school he applies to opts to create his own institution of higher learning, the South Harmon Institute of Technology, on a rundown piece of property near his hometown.

August to June - This documentary goes inside a public school happily and purposefully going against current trends. It follows a class of 8-10 year olds, their teacher, and their parents for a year filled with opportunities for curiosity, creativity and compassion.

Beyond the Bricks - The film follows two male African-American students as they struggle to stay on the track in the Newark, NJ, public school system, the lowest-scoring district in the nation. Woven into the boys’ stories is commentary from some of the country’s foremost leaders, experts and scholars focused on black boys and their education.

Bully - Based on a true story. Naive teenagers in a small town plot to murder one of their own, who has bullied them cruelly. This film can open a dialogue about the consequences of bullying -- and of fighting fire with fire.

A Community Concern - This documentary follows people who refuse to accept the system’s failures and are working for change. Their spirit, passion and commitment show that when organizers, parents, youth and educators work together, they are successful.

Dead Poets' Society - At a traditional men's boarding school, English professor John Keating inspires his students to develop a love of poetry and to seize the day. The main characters find themselves changed forever by the experience.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off - A high school wise guy is determined to have a day off from school, despite of what the principal thinks of that. He and his friends experience more on his day off than he would have sitting in the classroom.

Finding Forrester - Jamal, a high-achieving African-American teenager, finds a mentor in a reclusive author, William Forrester. The friendship leads William to open up, and Jamal to overcome racial prejudices and pursue his true dream of writing.

Freedom Writers - Based on a true story. A young teacher inspires her class of at-risk students to learn tolerance, apply themselves, and pursue education beyond high school.

Good Will Hunting - Will Hunting, a janitor at MIT, has a gift for mathematics but needs help from a psychologist to find direction in his life.

The Lottery - This documentary follows four of families from Harlem and the Bronx who have entered their children in a charter school lottery. Out of thousands of hopefuls, only a small minority will win the chance of a better future.

Race to Nowhere - A concerned mother turned filmmaker aims her camera at the high-stakes, high-pressure culture that has invaded our schools and our children’s lives, creating unhealthy, disengaged, unprepared and stressed-out youth.

School of Rock - A wannabe rock star in need of cash poses as a substitute teacher at a prep school, and tries to turn his class into a rock band. Through the experience, he and his students learn how transformative hands-on education can be.

To Be and To Have (Être et avoir) - A documentary portrait of a one-room school in rural France, where the students (ranging in age from 4 to 11) are educated by a single dedicated teacher.

To Be Heard - In this documentary, three New York teenagers in a radical poetry workshop try to use their words to turn their dreams into reality.

Waiting for Superman - Davis Guggenheim, who directed "An Inconvenient Truth," explores the state of American public education and follows five families who hope to enroll their children in competitive charter schools.

The War on Kids - This documentary explores how the education system criminalizes children due largely to irrational fears.

In Production

The Killer App Director Kaoru Wang searches for an education system for the youtube generation and the 21st century. Her documentary features individuals who have been deeply affected by the education system and looks to education gurus for answers.

The Fourth Purpose - This 3-part documentary series asks why the richest, most powerful nation on earth has not been able to create a democratic education system. The film explores the American school system: present, past, and future—its anomalies, its history, and the alternatives.(John Taylor Gatto)

Recommended by IDEA Readers

"There's a memoir called The Film Club you might want to check out by a man who let his son drop out of high school and watch movies with him." - Alexander Baack

"Not One Less (Chinese, 2000). "A young woman is given the job of substitute teacher in a rural village and told that she will only get paid if there is not one less child upon the regular teachers return (in an area with a high drop out rate.) Great drama ensues." - Don Berg

"Pump up the Volume is a a classic youth empowerment movie challenging the corruption, pressure and absurdity of school and encouraging kids to liberate themselves and really live....I also love The Breakfast Club." - Elana Davidson

"The Class. Francois Begaudeau stars as himself, in a story based on his own book about his experiences butting brains (with faculty as much as students) in a Parisian public school. Director Laurent Cantet (who won the Palme D'Or at Cannes) directs him and a cast of non-actor kids with inventiveness and a stunning authenticity that is indistinguishable from any non-fiction film you'll ever see." - Alexander Baack

"Dead Poets Society, Mr Holland's Opus and Goodbye, Mr. Chips -- because they're all about great inspirational teachers." - Phil Bennis

"The War on Kids -- GREAT!!!" - Benni Schmutzer

"Dead Poets Society and School of Rock." - Jeanette Miller

"Mr. Holland's Opus is a goodie because it reminds educators that we sometimes do make a difference." - Ken Bergstrom

"Stand and Deliver and Finding Forester... all about believing in the power of youth and their brilliance." - Alison Bagg Brink

"Dead Poet's Society for sure." - Margaret Pinard

"#1 is Precious. I've worked with those kids and miss them all. #2 is Half Nelson. A really challenging movie that shows how the roles of teacher, student, parent, etc are not so tidy in the face of real urban problems. And the movie doesn't make a moral statement. Bad title, decent movie." - Khalif Williams

"Fast Times at Ridgemont High." - Mark Van Ryzin

"To Be and to Have and Touch of Genius, both documentaries." - David Loitz

"Accepted and School of Rock." - Jonah Canner

"I know it's sentimental, but I really enjoyed that made-for-TV movie with Matthew Perry in it, The Ron Clark Story. That was pretty inspirational! I've also enjoyed Good Will Hunting, Dead Poet's Society, Emperor's Club, Freedom Writers, Lean on Me, Sister Act, Finding Forester, The Great Debaters, Remember the Titans, Coach Carter... Lots of movies! School of Rock is a lot of fun, too. ;)" - Sara J. Schmidt

Know another example of democratic education in the media? Email it to us.

Note that all these resources will be geared toward democratic education, based on youth engagement and participatory learning.