Are students offered possibilities to experience democratic practice in classrooms? Using an analysis of empirical data from classroom discussions in lower secondary school, this article identifies and explores two different types of classroom discussions which give students different positions: a conversation in which students are positioned as "poll respondents," and a more deliberative conversation which positions students as learning debaters. The two forms of classroom discussions are discussed due to the way they give different meaning to democracy, and due to whether the student positions in the classrooms imply contribution to the subject matter and what is considered valuable knowledge in school.