Abstract:
This paper explores how the democratic values are gendered by the school practice.
It looks at the way how the curriculum objectives stressing the assimilation of
democratic values of belonging/inclusion, participation and solidarity are practiced
in the school context. The article shows that girls deal better with democratic values
as they gender morality/femininity renders them more empathic, participatory and
caring for others than boys. While, boys lack the experience of caring for the wellbeing of others and they refuse to provide it in terms of their masculinity. The social
meanings of masculinity devalue everything that is feminine such as caring for the
well-being of others, inclusion, equality, acceptance and empathy. Masculinity
becomes a barrier in translating democratic values in practical acts. Furthermore,
schools do not provide support to boys to learn to change behavior for becoming
more inclusive. School reiterates gender disparities in practicing democratic values
through the educational process of cultural reproduction. Instead of preparing
boys to interiorize democratic values and perform democratic practices, the school
contributes further to the reducing of boys’ social competence and responsibility. The
value of belonging seems to have no institutional interest and social responsibility
lags behind other social abilities.
