School leaders are increasingly called upon to pursue meaningful partnerships with families and community groups, yet many leaders are unprepared to meet the challenges of partnerships, to cross cultural boundaries, or to be accountable to the community. Alliances are needed among educators, families, and community groups that value relationship…

Explores reasons for the conflicts that arise in participative decision making and, based on concepts concerning types of human behavior and group effectiveness, develops guidelines for determining the appropriateness of participation in various types of decisions. (Author/IRT)

Describes how a primary teacher handled an argument among her students over what to do about army worms defoliating an apple tree, thereby illustrating how she cultivates a classroom community that nurtures democracy. Such stories of morally coherent practices counter the bureaucratic insistence on a narrowly construed outcomes-based education.…

This case study investigated the capability of school citizen advisory committees to collect, contain, and dissipate conflict. It examined the activities of the Ideal School citizen advisory committee in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1976-77. The committee attempted to block a decision by the school board to move the school to a new location…

School violence in British Columbia (Canada) is directly related to youth alienation and disconnectedness. The Native concept of connectedness or sense of belonging can be a useful guide for assessing the effectiveness of school violence programs. Connectedness, in this context, indicates that humans are part of a seamless web of creation in which…

Reports the findings of a qualitative study investigating the interactions relating to special education between principals and parent advocates. Specifically focuses on variations in perspectives among the principals and parent advocates on disability, special education and inclusion. Places a particular emphasis on exploring the perceived power…