A Culture of Non-Judgment

Former Students’ Perspectives on the Sudbury Model Schools’ Justice System, Culture, and Relatedness

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14288/ce.v17i2.187243

Keywords:

Sudbury model schools, Self-Directed Education (SDE), Self-Determination Theory (SDT), Non-hierarchical education, Restorative justice (RJ) models, Non-judgmental culture, Informal mentoring, Autonomy and relatedness

Abstract

This qualitative study explores the experiences of 14 adults who attended Sudbury model schools in the Netherlands, Israel, and the U.S. These schools emphasize student autonomy, egalitarian relationships, and minimal hierarchy. Using thematic analysis and open-ended questions, the study examines how the justice system, school culture, and staff roles supported students’ psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, drawing on Self-Determination Theory (SDT: Deci & Ryan, 2000). Findings highlight how the justice system fostered inclusivity, mutual respect, and internalization of community norms, contributing to a culture that discouraged bullying and promoted belonging. Staff were viewed as trusted mentors rather than authority figures, reinforcing autonomy and competence. The study offers a nuanced counterpoint to critiques that SDE models reproduce neoliberal subjectivities, showing how autonomy embedded in relational safety can foster inclusion. These insights contribute to educational change debates by illustrating how non-hierarchical models can enhance student well-being and reimagine authority in schools.

Author Biographies

Christel Hartkamp-Bakker, Open University, The Netherlands

Christel Hartkamp-Bakker is a part-time external PhD at the Open University of the Netherlands, Department of Conditions for Lifelong Learning. She holds a master’s degree in geology from Utrecht University and earned her first PhD from the Technical University of Delft in the Netherlands in 1992. Following her doctorate, she worked in the oil industry in both the Sultanate of Oman and the Netherlands until 2011, while also raising three children with her husband. During that time, she published several scientific papers in the field. Since 2003, she has been actively involved in founding and supporting Sudbury model schools in the Netherlands—schools her own children attended in their early years, and which played a formative role in their upbringing. Most recently, she has worked as a part-time staff member at Sudbury School Amersfoort. Her passion for academic inquiry led her to pursue a second PhD in 2019 at the Open University of the Netherlands, focusing on the long-term impact of Sudbury model schooling on the adult lives of its graduates.

Rob Martens, Open University, The Netherlands

Rob Martens is Professor of Educational Sciences at the Open University of the Netherlands, where he also serves as Vice Dean of Research in the Faculty of Educational Sciences. Trained as an educational psychologist, his main research interests include motivation and educational innovation. He previously held positions at Leiden University and was appointed to the endowed Veringa Chair in Multimedia Education (Teleac/NTR) in 2007. Martens served as scientific director of the LOOK Scientific Center for Teacher Research, the ECBO, and later NIVOZ (2018–2021). He is a co-founder of the European Association for Practitioner Research on Improving Learning (EAPRIL). In 2012, he was awarded the honorary Francqui Chair at KU Leuven. His books We moeten spelen (2019) and Leerlingen intrinsiek motiveren (2022) reflect his longstanding commitment to rethinking education through intrinsic motivation and learner-centered approaches for a Dutch audience.

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Published

2026-05-17

Issue

Vol. 17 No. 2 (2026)

Section

Articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 Christel Hartkamp-Bakker, Rob Martens

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