--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In many countries, schools are preparing…" description: "\"In many countries, schools are preparing students to participate in a democratic environment; yet schools themselves tend to be extremely autocratic, w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/830/adora-svitak-9680_adult_in-many-countries-schools-are-preparing_2461773.png" --- # In many countries, schools are preparing students to… ![“In many countries, schools are preparing students to participate in a democratic environment; yet schools themselves tend to be extremely autocratic, with all high-level decisions being made by adults.” quote by Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/830/adora-svitak-9680_adult_in-many-countries-schools-are-preparing_2461773.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/830/adora-svitak-9680_adult_in-many-countries-schools-are-preparing_2461773.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/830/adora-svitak-9680_adult_in-many-countries-schools-are-preparing_2461773.png) > “In many countries, schools are preparing students to participate in a democratic environment; yet schools themselves tend to be extremely autocratic, with all high-level decisions being made by adults.” [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights the paradox that schools teach democratic participation while operating under strict adult‑controlled hierarchies, limiting genuine student agency. **In simple terms:** Schools teach democracy but act autocratically. Key Takeaway Recognize and address this mismatch. Themes education democracy authority Mood critical inspirational Type educational social commentary When to use this quote - curriculum design - student councils - policy advocacy - classroom decision‑making Key Concepts student empowerment institutional reform participatory governance Questions to Reflect On - How can students gain real decision‑making power? - What reforms could make schools truly democratic? A Different Perspective Changing deep‑rooted structures can be slow and meet resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Countries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/countries/) [Decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decisions/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Schools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/schools/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) ## Related quotes > [Turkey is a diverse country... I think that democracy is the ideal system for a country with a social foundation such as this. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/turkey-is-a-diverse-country-i-think-that-democracy-is-the-ideal/) [Fethullah Gulen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/) > [Virtually all families in the middle of the earnings distribution aspire to send their children to a school of at least average quality. (We'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-frank/virtually-all-families-in-the-middle-of-the-earnings-distribution/) [Bob Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-frank/) > [Independence of mind, enthusiasm, dedication to the field, and willingness to challenge and question and to explore new direction. There are plenty of people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/independence-of-mind-enthusiasm-dedication-to-the-field-and/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Autocratic power requires the degradation of moral authority - not the capture of moral high ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masha-gessen/autocratic-power-requires-the-degradation-of-moral-authority-not-the/) [Masha Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masha-gessen/) > [“If the master allows himself to be commanded by a servant, the latter becomes autocratic; the mind is similarly enslaved by submitting to bodily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/if-the-master-allows-himself-to-be-commanded-by-a-servant-the-latter/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [I played a lot of leaders, autocratic sorts; perhaps it was my Canadian accent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-nielsen/i-played-a-lot-of-leaders-autocratic-sorts-perhaps-it-was-my-canadian/) [Leslie Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-nielsen/) > [No central planning, no autocratic rule and no military regime can produce what free man can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tsakhiagiin-elbegdorj/no-central-planning-no-autocratic-rule-and-no-military-regime-can/) [Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tsakhiagiin-elbegdorj/) > [A republican government in a hundred points is weaker than an autocratic government; but in this one point it is the strongest that ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/a-republican-government-in-a-hundred-points-is-weaker-than-an/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [The checks and balances is a way to prevent government from either devolving into an autocratic tyranny or an autocratic mob mentality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beau-willimon/the-checks-and-balances-is-a-way-to-prevent-government-from-either/) [Beau Willimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beau-willimon/) > [“An autocratic system of coercion, in my opinion soon degenerates. For force always attract men of low morality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/an-autocratic-system-of-coercion-in-my-opinion-soon-degenerates-for/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Where there is little or no public opinion, there is likely to be bad government, which sooner or later becomes autocratic government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-mackenzie-king/where-there-is-little-or-no-public-opinion-there-is-likely-to-be-bad/) [William Lyon Mackenzie King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-mackenzie-king/) > [Companies used to be able to function with autocratic bosses. We don't live in that world anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosabeth-moss-kanter/companies-used-to-be-able-to-function-with-autocratic-bosses-we-don-t/) [Rosabeth Moss Kanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosabeth-moss-kanter/) > [Autocratic governments are masters of self-contradiction. They say one thing, do another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/autocratic-governments-are-masters-of-self-contradiction-they-say-one/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [I've always been completely autocratic. I've never learned to be diplomatic or democratic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-parker/i-ve-always-been-completely-autocratic-i-ve-never-learned-to-be/) [Alan Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-parker/) > [In the post-Soviet era, instead of freedom, various stripes of autocratic-totalitarianism have flourished: Russian, Belarusian, Kazakh... We are finding our way out from under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alexievich/in-the-post-soviet-era-instead-of-freedom-various-stripes-of/) [Svetlana Alexievich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alexievich/) ## More by Adora Svitak > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [We need to reward the 'thankless job' of substitute teaching with better pay and chances for permanent positions. I look forward to the day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/we-need-to-reward-the-thankless-job-of-substitute-teaching-with/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [I was thrilled to be able to read at three. I just thought everyone loved reading as much as I did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/i-was-thrilled-to-be-able-to-read-at-three-i-just-thought-everyone/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [To try to teach ignoring technology is to ignore the progress that we have made over the last century. 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