On working democratically in education
Once you commit to working democratically, you have to take the leap of faith that says that people will make informed choices. And you must trust that if they don’t make the choices that you think in the short term are the best ones for them (like attending every class), in the long run, the experience of being in control will make them more responsible the next time they are able to exercise power.
Stephen Brookfield (1995) in Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher.