Democratic Education is defined as an educational model committed to ‘democracy and freedom,’ – committed to the use of democratic structures for governing and to the inalienable human right of students to control their own educational destinies. Democracy, freedom, responsibility and equality are core principles of the model. Whereas an enhanced awareness of life in a democratic culture is a main goal in the field of education...and the application of democratic processes and the protection of human rights in schools are essential for the promotion and sustainability of a democratic culture... The Mission of IDE Northwest... ...is to advance the progress of democratic education in the Northwest United States by providing leadership and support for the enrichment of relevant areas of research, the education of democratic educators, and the development, application, and dissemination of democratic school models.