This contribution treats the question of acknowledgement of students in students' participation in public schools by teachers and other students. The issue is explored from a perspective of philosophy of education. Along with the strategies for “Education for Democratic Citizenship” (EDC) the Council of Europe highlights the ideal of “active citizenship” in liberal democracies. One of the main objectives of the Directorate for Education and Culture of the European Commission in this project is to develop citizens not just in the legal sense of the word but also through encouraging people’s practical involvement in democratic processes at all levels. According to the Council of Europe “the central task of all pedagogical and andragogical activity is, therefore, to empower the present and future citizens for his or her active participation in and contribution to the community, in the shaping of its affairs and in solving its problems“ (Dürr et al. 200); Council for Cultural Co-operation 2000; Council for Cultural Co-operation (CDCC) 2000). As school in a liberal democratic society is the only institution that all children and young people are likely to attend (Enslin, White 2003; Gutmann 1987), political socialization is typically one of the tasks it has in this political system. So within the project for EDC students’ participative involvement in school is the recommended way for every school to cultivate the civic virtues of young people (Dürr et al. 2000). Students’ participation is rarely critically questioned nor by teachers nor by the government. It is treated as a practical matter of organizing structures for participation or as a way of moral education or seen as a measure to prevent violence to take over in school. Nevertheless teachers and leaders of schools who attend courses where they learn how to introduce students’participation mention that students’ participation is often hindered by their own and their colleague’s attitude towards students. Still if you ask them what they mean by “attitude” their answers remain vague. My contribution starts from the premise that participation requires the transition of individual self-determination (Selbstbestimmung) to co-determination (Mitbestimmung) with others (Gerhardt 2007). By referring to Axel Honneth’s social theory of interactive acknowledgement (Honneth 2008; Honneth 2001; Brumlik 2007; Balzer 2007; Helsper et al. 2005; Himmelmann 2007; Stojanov 2006; etc.) I will develop the arguments that lead to the conclusion that that students ‘participation in public schools depends on the recognition of each student by his or her teachers (and of course his or her peers). I then will try to show that the issue of acknowledgement seems to be what teacher’s mean when they talk about their own attitude towards students as participants in school. The situation of acknowledgement between teacher and pupil is even more complex because of the specifically asymmetric situation between them (Helsper, Lingkost 2007; Ritsert 2007; etc.). The contribution is not trying to find final answers but to unfold the problems regarding students‘participation seen from a perspective of theory of acknowledgement.

The method that seems suitable to this task compromises the following steps: ¾ to present the premise on participation which requires the transition of self-determination to co-determination? ¾ to develop the arguments leading to the conclusion that every student needs to be acknowledged by teachers and other students to participate in school. ¾ to employ Honneth’s idea of acknowledgement and forth leading thoughts by authors in the field of philosophy of education (Brumlik, Helsper, Himmelmann, Stojanov, Balzer, etc.). ¾ to take account of the specific asymmetric condition in schools between students and teachers and its implication on acknowledgement in students’ participation.

In this contribution I will develop premises and arguments that lead to the conclusion that that students ‘participation in public schools depends on the recognition of each student by his or her teachers.