Academic freedom in education has always been and continues to be a critical and irreplaceable component in fostering a participatory democracy and a critically engaged citizenry. In fact, when comparing the education systems of democratic and totalitarian societies throughout history, nothing contrasts more consistently than attitudes and practices toward intellectual freedom and control over what is taught in schools. Anton Makarenko (1955) wrote, “It was clear to me that details of human personality and behavior could be made from dies, simply stamped out en masse” (p.165). It’s safe to say that Makarenko was a true believer in standardized education.
