Daeflower Free School,: a school and an alternative

Three tasks are attempted in this paper. First, a review of a portion of the literature on free schools. Second, a description and analysis of Daeflower Free School. Here, it is intended not only to objectify the school, but in addition to relate, compare and contras its problems with those of free schools in general. Taking the work of Kozol, Dennison and Neill as pivotal, Daeflower is examined in terms of criteria derived from their writings. Finally, a different line of analysis is undertaken. The obvious difficulties of free schools are related to the difficulties of other "alternative institutions." In conclusion, the several perspectives result in what would appear to be a new theoretical proposition: that the success of free schools depends upon their realizing and capitalizing on their politically radical implications more intensely and more systematically than they tend to do.