In the aftermath of World War II, Denmark engaged in existential debates on the conditions enabling cruelty, epitomized by SS officers, and how to prevent such atrocities. These discussions emphasised democracy as a way of life rooted in participation, with schools founded on democratic values as central to this vision. However, over the past 30 years, democratic ideals have receded in the face of competing objectives. Political concerns about global competitiveness and the adequacy of students' educational outcomes have dominated the agenda. School policies now prioritise measurable outputs, such as grades and students’ progression along educational pathways. This shift is evident in the Danish Folkeskole Act, which emphasizes preparing students for further education, as stated in Paragraph 1, Section 1: "Elementary school, in cooperation with parents, must provide students with the knowledge and skills that: prepare them for further education and foster a desire for continued learning, familiarize them with Danish culture and history, provide an understanding of other countries and cultures, contribute to their understanding of humanity's interaction with nature, and promote the all-round development of the individual student." Although democratic schooling is still mentioned in Paragraph 1, Section 3, the overarching emphasis on educational progression risks sidelining democracy as a core value. School leaders play a pivotal role in this context, tasked with both achieving tangible educational outcomes and fostering a school culture rooted in democratic participation. A majority of leaders are former teachers, whose professional habitus is shaped by teacher training programs emphasising the societal good and the holistic development of children. This dual role positions school leaders at the intersection of competing logics: the bureaucratic-administrative imperatives of system efficiency and accountability, and the pedagogical values of nurturing democratic citizens. This paper employs Bourdieu’s (1986) concepts of field, capital, and habitus to analyse the structural and individual dynamics shaping democratic participation in Danish schools. Structurally, school leaders operate within a field increasingly driven by the logic of measurable outcomes and global policy demands. Individually, their habitus, shaped by their background as educators, aligns with a moral commitment to “doing good” for children and society. The analysis draws on contemporary legislation, policy documents, and interviews with over 20 school leaders conducted over the past five years. Findings illuminate the tensions in leaders’ dual role, revealing both challenges and opportunities for sustaining democratic values within an education system shaped by competing logics.

Bourdieu, P. (1986). The forms of capital. In J. G. Richardson (Ed.), Handbook of theory and research for the sociology of education (pp. 241–258). Greenwood Press. Ministry of Children and Education. (2021). The Danish Folkeskole Act. Ministry of Children and Education.