Because Democracy Is Difficult and Dangerous

"Because Democracy Is Difficult and Dangerous" is an excerpt from Woke Is Not Enough: School Reform for Leaders with Justice in Mind (2022). Each chapter of the book focuses on a domain of school reform relevant to school leadership today: racial justice, democratic governance, restorative justice, student activism, and counter extremism. After naming a paradox at the heart of leading reform in each domain, principles and practical guidance are offered to help school leaders take meaningful action in their school settings. "Because Democracy Is Difficult and Dangerous" is an excerpt from the chapter on democratic governance. This article explores why the word "democracy" is often left out of the literature on school reform and school leadership and goes on to name an important paradox at the heart of why democratic practice is so challenging for progressive school leaders to get right.