Tutorial Context		In effect, leadership is what people do together working to achieve a mutual purpose, in this case, a safe learning environment.

What constitutes a democratic learning environment? One of Webster’s definitions of democracy is: “the principles of social equality and respect for the individual within a community.” This concept provides a foundation for a democratic school environment in several ways. First, each individual student is worthy of respect by all school staff and peers. Secondly, each individual student deserves equal opportunity to learn, perform, and participate safely in a school environment. In practical terms this means that students should be free from fear of emotional, intellectual, or physical harm.

A second definition of democracy is: “government by the people, exercised either directly or through elected representatives. This principle implies that all groups and individuals associated with managing the school environment collaborate to ensure a safe school. School administrators, teachers, counselors, parents, police, and students themselves, collaborate and participate in creating a safe, democratic, learning environment.

Finally, it is leadership that translates the concepts and ideals of democracy into action. The leadership of which we speak is not a set of directions or orders promulgated by one person occupying a senior position and acting as the sole active participant. Instead leadership as a democratic movement emerges as the collaboration and cooperation of a dynamic of people working together as a community to exert influence. This collaborative leadership dynamic materializes as an interdependent network of relationships where people act with mutual purpose, shared vision and common goals to create transforming change in order to build a safe school environment.