Page 52 - TWO OF A KIND • Erik Renkema

CHAPTER 2
(see Fig. 3). Especially ‘active multiformity’ (15) is mentioned. Also the policy regarding the admittance of students (15) and staff (13) is recognized as a value of public education. This corresponds to the data of the non-response. Further research could focus on those few schools from which the principals do not mention this policy of admittance. It would be interesting to see whether these principals do not support the policy of open admittance, or whether they do not recognize this policy as a value of public education.
It is also notable that not all respondents (eight) refer to ‘neutrality’. Again, further research could point out whether the respondents do not see their schools as neutral, or whether they do not connect this to an explicit value of public education.
According to the adjustment of the Dutch Constitution public education has to be recognizable at a cooperation school. Further research could focus on possible reasons why principals do not mention the four values of public education together. Do the principals classify these values in a specific order? And, if so, can we conclude that the respondents never identify the four values together as characteristic for their schools? Or, maybe at the same time, do the principals interpret these values in another way than is suggested by the theory about public education?
We can see a correspondence between the active multiformity as a value of public education and the key value of cooperation schools. Both share the same view: there are no dominant traditions and convictions and, therefore, all can contribute to the development of students.
Another remarkable result concerning the religious identity and policy of the school must be mentioned. By answering the question whether or not there have been causes to adjust the religious identity of the school fifteen respondents deny that these causes occurred. Apparently, the principals see the religious school identity as a strong concept.
4.5. Restricted religious identity: religious education
The response of the principals indicates that the religious identity of the cooperation school is expressed in concrete activities. In the survey, the following question was asked: “Can you indicate a decision or a reflexion in school practice in which the
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